Military school
by Rei Bianca
Summary: Lirin-ikkou and Sanzo-ikkou are all in the institution. War between fantasy and dream are beginning to sound disasterous for them. Who will survive?^_~ * chap 15 uploaded!*. Please r&r, thank you!
1. Begining

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Note: Miow, I'm back after mysteriously disappeared weeks ago. Obviously can't wait till Homura gets out of the hospital so this story goes on without him. ^_^! Oh, everything is pure fiction so don't take anything seriously.

~Prologue~

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"Drop your cards!" 

Somewhere in the bar situated at the corner of a city, Gojyo was busy stacking up big cash when suddenly a group of cops came out of nowhere and ordered everyone on the ground. Realizing he was in trouble, Gojyo quickly ran out through the back door. 

Apparently, he was running too fast to even notice that his shoelaces came undone and he tripped and fell into a puddle of mud….

"There! I've almost finished my essay. What about you?" Lirin said as she took another handful of chips from the packet. Goku on the other hand was struggling with the mechanical sharpener, which happened to be there for some reason. "I can't imagine I have to go to school! Why in the world do we have to write an essay about good and bad guys?!" Goku shouted out loud obviously trying to release his tension. 

Lirin stood up and shoved more chips into her mouth and tossed her notebook away. "You're right. Let's go down and play video games!" 

Suddenly, the room door barged open and Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai entered with their hands full with grocery items. Unable to stop, Goku and Lirin practically slammed themselves into the grocery bags and made the stuff fly up into the sky and sending everything down with a crash. Everybody stood and stared opened mouth.

"GOKU!!" Suddenly Sanzo flew into rage and started running around the room chasing Goku with his fan and this of course created a bit of noise. Soon, everybody was seen chasing each other for some unknown reasons. "Aih, please stop," As usual, Hakkai tries to stop the ruckus before it gets worst.

Meanwhile, Lirin managed to slip away and ran to her brother's room. "Yo bro, what's up?" She said casually. Unfortunately, her expressions changed when she saw a blue envelope on her brother's table. Kougaiji glared at her angrily. "You ditched school? And why?"

"Oh, she ditched school?" Suddenly Yaonne came out from nowhere with Dokugakuji. Lirin stood by the table and began a series of never-ending reasons. At last, it came to an end after Kougaiji told her that he was asked to see the school principal with her. 

"Busted?" Goku asked as Lirin entered the room.

"Yup."

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The next morning, everything happened like as if being planned by an unseen force. Lirin and Kougaiji braced themselves to the principal's office. Well, it's not like they care. They could easily beat the living life out of him if he said something wrong.

Anyway, after a while, they came out…

"Ahahahahaha!!!!" Suddenly Kougaiji started laughing hysterically and fell down. "Guess what did the guy told me?" Kou asked still giggling, apparently trying to get up.

"What?!"

"Yes, Goku. Accept the truth. You're going to military school after this semester holiday," Sanzo told Goku after his visit to Goku's principal. 

"No, no, no, no and I said it again, no way!" Goku started turning around the couch in the living room. Meanwhile, the same thing was heard from somewhere not far away.

"Lirin, come back!" Kougaiji dashed out of the room while trying to stop Lirin from leaving the house. "I'm not going to that stinking place!" She shouted while throwing loads of pillows, which happened to be there.

Suddenly, Sanzo took out his gun and fired the wall. "Alright everybody, playtime is over and you kids better get your butts on the couch before I murder you."

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*Na, that's the evil part of Sanzo I guess. ^_~ Next, enrolment for military school. Roger that! 

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	2. The School

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Note: I meant to update this last Friday but my server was down. Eheh..

Chapter 1

"The Imperial Capital Defence?," Goku read the name on the tall, iron-gate as Hakkai drove through. "Are you sure about this? Do they have good food?" Goku knew that was lame but he was worried. Worried that he'll starve to death there. He swallowed hard and stared at the building on the hill. The building was surrounded by wired fence. "That could shock trespassers to crisps," Goku thought.

"This is a serious training school," Sanzo frowned from behind a book. Goku leaned forward read the tittle of the book, which Sanzo was busy reading for the last two weeks. "Gone by the wind? Since when does Sanzo reads romance?" Goku chuckled only to be hit on the head by a huge fan.

The academy really looked like an old Dracula castle. It even had two, tall grey stone towers on each end. The sky stretched heavy and gray. Once and a while, thunder boomed and shook the green jeep. A few large raindrops spattered on the windshield. 

Lirin quickly hid herself under Yaone's robe.

The long narrow road led them indo a dark and gloomy courtyard. Lightning crackled over the towers. "What kind of sick people build a school way up the hill?" Grumbled Lirin, dragging her suitcase to the entrance.

"Maybe they like privacy," Hakkai answered back and picked up more suitcases from the backseat.

"Privacy? Yeah right," Goku complained. If they need privacy, they shouldn't build a building like this in the first place. This would definitely attract tourist attention.

A few minutes later, they were inside the academy. Everything looked so opposite from the outside. The wall was brightly colored. This is totally a nightmare come true, Lirin thought.

They walked passed many doors along the hallway. A, small, short red-haired girl with black-framed glasses hurried through the crowded hallway to introduce herself. "People around here call me Koran, I'm in charge of the robots in this academy. Anyway, I'm taking on holiday today, so I don't mind helping you guys out," She said happily. "Let me help with those bags."

They followed her from behind. "The dormitories are in this wing," she explained. "The classrooms and training house are at the other end." Her small voice echoed through the long hall. She leaned close to Lirin. The torture chamber is downstairs," she whispered. Lirin stared open-mouthed.

She tossed back her head and laughed. "I was just kidding!" 

"I was hoping that was real." Lirin scowled angrily.

As they made their way down the hall, Goku checked out the kids. The students, appeared to be perfectly normal. Only that they were all dressed alike. Apart from that, there was nothing else that amazed him.

They turned into another long hallway. Hakkai and Sanzo followed behind Lirin, Koran and Yaone. They passed a door marked PRINCIPAL. "You'll meet him later," Koran said.

Finally, Koran unlocked a door at the end of the wing. "This is your room." She announced, pushing the blue door open. Goku and Lirin stepped into a small, blue room. At one corner were a bed, a dresser, a desk and a small couch.

"I'm sorry, this is the only empty room left," Koran quickly explained when she noticed the expressions on their face.

"Nice room," Yaone complimented as she followed them in.

"Nice? There is only one bed. One bed!" Lirin grumbled. "There is no way I'm going to sleep on the floor."

Goku immediately ran to the bed and starts jumping on it. "This is my bed!"

"Hei, no fair!" Shove.

"I sat here first!" Goku hissed. "Go find your own."

"This is mine!" Lirin said through her teeth. "I found this first!"

"Well, if you don't wan't to move, I'll push you away," Goku said angrily, bumping his shoulder into Lirin's.

"Goku, stop it!" _Push._

"No, you stop it!" _Push push._

"I'm not giving up this bed!" _Shove._

"Me neither!" _Shove shove shove._

Both of them worked hard to get the bed. They locked arms and were pushing against each other.

"URUSAI!" Sanzo screamed out and hits Goku and Lirin with his fan. "Can't you two live a day without fighting? You act like one year old babies!"

"But, but there's only one bed…" Lirin rubbed her head and looked at him angrily. Sanzo sighed. He turned to Goku. "Be a gentleman and let Lirin have the bed, okay?" 

Goku sulked. 

"Well, if you don't want, I guess you two have to sleep together then," Sanzo said and left the room. As soon as he left, they started fighting again. "I pretend, I didn't hear that," he muttered and pulled out a cigarette.

"I have to go to the office now," Koran said and shook Hakkai's hand. "Nice meeting you all. Don't worry, I'll send some other students to show them their class." 

She looked back again at Goku and Lirin who were still fighting and smiled.

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Note: I'm borrowing a few characters from Sakura Wars, if that's okay? Couldn't think of a nice name for the next few people. I promise to update the next one as soon as I can.~_^;;


	3. Surprise!

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Note: Ah, finally I manage to write something! I was busy listing down places I want to go for the holiday. Wah, can't wait! Oh, ya, I dedicate, particularly this chapte,r to all Lirin and Goku's fan, especially you, Rook. ^..^

Chapter 2

Outside the narrow window, lightning flickered. A boom of thunder shook the room. Everyone was sitting silently in the class. Others were busy tapping on their laptop. This is ridiculous, Lirin yawned trying to understand the weird factors in her algebra notebook. What does reviving Gyumao got to do with studying?

At the other end of the room, Goku was busy counting the seconds on the wall clock. One more hours to go. "Where is that teacher anyway?" He muttered, rubbing his growling stomach. "If it wasn't for that girl, we would have already had breakfast!" Glaring hard at Lirin.

Today is their second week in that school. Everything is going perfectly fine for Lirin. Anything they did, she always wins or gets good grades. It didn't matter what kind of activity, she always gets to stump and defeats her friends especially Goku. Within days, Lirin stood at the center of attention. Boys would usually follow her from behind. But she didn't really bother and kept to herself.

Goku, on the other hand, it wasn't like school was boring or he was dumb, tight schedule wasn't really his thing. It's like an hour ago it was Artillery and next, it is Machinery. Really, twenty-four hours isn't enough for him. He would spend the whole hours reading mechanical parts and not a single thing enters his head. 

Finally, the lunch bell rang, Goku couldn't wait to get out of there. He quickly grabbed his backpack. He walked passed Lirin and a group of girls near the door.

"You're great!" A girl in front of Lirin declaired.

"That was totally awesome!" Another girl gushed. Lirin smiled and tried to push herself out of the growing crowd. "Goku, matte!" She called out as Goku dashed out of the class.

They are really disgusting! Everyone's sick! Goku began to boil in anger. Everyday it's Lirin this and Lirin that. He couldn't take it anymore. Where's the lunchroom?!

"Goku!" 

"I'm ignoring you!" Goku screamed out and walks faster. Suddenly a small boy walked in front of him. Unable to stop, they bumped into each other and fell back. Their lunch trays went flying out of their hands. 

As they struggle to regain their balance, they watched as the trays sail towards a crowded table. They watched in horror as the content spilled on Lirin's cashmere. She screamed and leapt to her feet. She shook her shoulders, than began grabbing at her sleeve, pulling off red beans and red chunks of tomatoes. 

"Look at what you did!" Goku scowled and pushed the boy. 

"Me? You're the one who bumped into me!" The boy pushed back.

Soon, they engaged into a fight. Pushing and shoving each other. Plates and more trays were seen flying. The lunchroom began to look like a war zone. Pushing her way through, Lirin stood between them. "Stop it! There's no need to fight." They glared at her and continued slapping and punching.

"STOP IT!" A large fireball began forming on her small palm. "Either you stop of I'll help you."

Silence filled the room. Everyone stared straight at the fireball on both of Lirin's palm. Goku pushed the boy one last time and backed-off. Smiling, she turned around and looked at the other students. "Does anyone else wants to fight?" 

Her question was greeted with a low murmur. "One more, tell anyone about this," pointing at the fireball and continued," Tell anyone about this and I'll destroy all of you myself." Everybody nodded. Quickly, she pulled the two boys out of the school.

"That was the most pathetic looking fight ever," Lirin said as she wiped the blood on Goku's cheek and handed a clean tissue to the boy standing behind her. "What's wrong with you both?" 

"I'm late. Have to go now!" The boy said immediately trying to avoid Lirin's fierce stare and ran back to the school. Lirin blinked her eyes. "Oh, well.." She got up and pulled out a muffin. "This is for you." 

Goku grinned and took the muffin from her hand. He eyed her until her shadows disappeared behind the Laboratory. He took out his schedule and watch and screamed. 

"I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!" He dashed past the library. The hallway was silent. Only screeching sound of his sneakers was heard. After a minute and a half, he reached his class. "Thank goodness, I'm only two minutes late!" He said to himself and wiped his sweat. Slowly he opened the door.

SHING!

A small gun was at his head. "You're late,"

Goku gasped. That voice. It couldn't be. He looked up. The tall blonde man stared sternly at him. 

"Baka!" _twack._

"Ittai!" Goku covered his head. "Sanzo~sa~ma…"

"Baka saru! I'd expect to see you here by ten not five past ten!" Sanzo said angrily and then grinned. "Just go to your seat."

Sanzo walked back and forth the classroom and took out an M-16. He began explaining the various parts of the riffle. Everyone sat very straight, eyes locked on his face. Goku looked around and stared hard at Sanzo. What is Sanzo doing? 

"What are you staring at?" Sanzo finally asked.

"Huh, me?" Goku could feel beads of sweat form on his forehead. "I'm staring at…nothing." His voice came out in a choked whisper.

Sanzo shook his head. "Didn't anyone told you that I'm replacing Ms. Maria?"

Goku gulped hard. His heart raced. "Well…"

Sanzo walked to the large book on the table. He traced a line down the book. Yikes! He is looking at my results! Goku prayed hard. I'm dead! I'm dead!

The whole of the hour, Goku sat stiffly on his chair. He didn't dare budge. Every time Sanzo walked passed him, he puts his hands together and wished for him to go away. I don't understand a thing. Hurry time, hurry!

After a while, the bell finally rang. He waited for the rest of his friends to leave and made his way out. Then he noticed the boy he fought with standing behind Sanzo. He seemed to be discussing about something. 

"He's reporting the fight, damn!" Goku ran out of the room. He didn't want to wait and see what was going to happen. Pushing himself through the crowd, he managed to spot Lirin waving at him. 

"Goku! Goku! Don't sleep!"

The clock showed half past twelve at night. Both of them force their eyes open They were in their room. Semester exam is near and they have to work really hard to get extra credits. "It's no good! I can't even get this one in," Goku sighed, pushing his notebook away and slumped himself on the bed.

"You need a project, Goku," Lirin warned, looking at the mess around the room. "Right away."

"I can't take it anymore!" He snarled back. 

She pushed her electronics stuffs aside and began flipping through the pages in the textbook. "Why don't you build this?" Pointing a picture of molecules. "This one is easy!"

Rubbing his eyes, Goku forced himself to the desk. He took a glance at the diagram. "What is this? I a map of Kyushu?" He murmured.

Lirin giggled and pulled Goku closer to her. "It's a diagram of molecules, moron. Particularly the ones inside grenades," She explained, circling the diagram with her finger. "This happens to be the most complicated molecule ever discovered, few years ago."

"Cool!" Goku answered back, popping a few chips into his mouth.

"Stop fooling around!" She snapped. "Sanzo will be furious if he finds out that you failed the last two papers."

Goku sulked and pulled the book from her hand. "How do you build this thing?" Staring hard at the green and red ball-like thing in the diagram. 

She pulled open her small suitcase and began pouring all its contents. " Look, you can use this!" She said happily and threw bright red and purple balls at Goku. "Tie them together with these wires."

"There are so many steps!" Goku grumbled.

" Work hard! I have hopes in you," Lirin yawned, pulling a blanket over herself. 

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Note: Finally! I manage to get Sanzo in there. Ah, Maria is one of the best shooter in Sakura Wars. Borrow her for a while.^_^


	4. Goku's Feelings

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Note: Mwahahaha! I must be going nuts. Everytime I write, it gets more and more weird. But, thanks for all your lovely reviews. Hugs and kisses!

Chapter 3

"Move! Move!"

A tall patched-eye man, looked down at the cadets from the second floor of the building. He watched them as they fell one by one into the puddle, bruised themselves up, break arms and get knocked out.

He snickered. At this rate, no one will even survive a day in war. Why are kids these days such weaklings? Such people would only be distractions. Pulling out another cigarette, he continued watching. He suddenly focused on a small girl at the middle of the crucial three hours course. He studied her from head to toe. Determination. Her eyes are full of determinations. His attentions towards her were soon interrupted when he heard a faint knock on the door.

"Lirin, wait for me!" Goku called out. He was struggling to get loose from the chains on the ground. His face was wet and muddy. Damn! I've been doing this thing for the last two days! He tugged even harder but the chains seemed to be tied tightly around his legs. Pulling one last time, he finally managed to release himself. He forced himself up and continued running through the obstacles. 

Suddenly he felt someone pushing him from behind. He looked back. "Lirin?" 

"You have to hurry up," She snorted. "You've got five more laps left!"

"I'm exhausted! I can't take it anymore!" Goku whined as he slowed down. His legs are killing him. Suddenly a small water balloon flew over his head and burst with colored paint.

"No resting in the battle field!" The trainer shouted from behind. "Now, start moving!"

"Come on!" She tugged him.

Goku snarled back. He began increasing his speed. Finally, after three hours of solid torturing, all of them finished their course, panting and dried out. Lirin however, was still bobbing up and down the obstacles for no reason.

Goku, I've bought some hamburgers for you," Lirin said happily as she stacked up the food she bought from the lunchroom on the desk in the room. "Goku?" She turned around. Everything was silent. That's odd. Usually Goku would never turn down anything especially food. She moved to the bathroom door and knock softly at first. "Are you in there?"

Goku sat down quietly in the bathroom. I'm so bored. I don't even want to see her. Then he heard the door open and shut. Peace at last. He slowly opened the door and crept out. After getting dressed, he jumped to the bed. All he needed was some rest. A sleep maybe. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. 

Suddenly, he jerked up. This wasn't like him. He glanced at the hamburgers on the desk. "Lirin…" Goku sighed. He pictured Lirin pushing her way through the crowd just to get them both lunch. Was he that cruel? Why was he trying to avoid her in the first place? _Lirin_, he thought, testing the name in his mind. The only daughter of Gyumao, his supposed to be enemy. The only demon who bugs Sanzo and gets away with it, alive. A supremely care-free girl. What else? He rolled around on the bed, thinking hard.

"Chemistry, chemistry," Lirin chanted, walking slowly down the dark and gloomy hallway. All the classes and rooms were joined together with a long corridor. The laboratory was only a few blocks away from the east wing and it was usually noisy and crowded with cadets running around to their respective homerooms. Somehow today, everything seemed… quiet. Too quiet. She pushed her braided hair back and picked up her pace. I'm losing my mind, she told herself.

Lirin…."

She quickly looked back. There was no one behind her. She continued walking.

"Lirin.." a small voice called out her name again. This time, she ignored.

When she finally reached the Science block, she noticed that it was a little dark. The doors of other labs are all locked, except for the one at the end of the hallway. "Don't they have any class today. How come I don't know?" She scolded herself. "Oh well, since I'm here, I might as well check out the last lab."

Picking up her courage, Lirin fiddled with the knob and slowly pushed it open. It was oddly empty like the rest of the rooms. Her eyes slowly scanned the room for any traces of living creature. 

"Lirin..." The voice called out again. Realizing that running away was useless, Lirin took a deep breath and turned around. A shadowy image of a human began to get into focus as he approached her. 

"Sanzo-sama, have you seen Lirin?" Goku asked when he noticed that she didn't wait for him as usual after their third class. The monk just shook his head. "Did you fight with her?" 

Goku looked down. It wasn't really a fight. It was just a misunderstanding. A minor problem. A small matter, which she couldn't possibly lose her temper to. He recalled that night after late class. Lirin had entered the room looking surprisingly happy. He had asked her what happened and she gladly showed the bouquet of red roses to him.

"Jealous?" Sanzo asked, quite interested. He pulled out another stick of cigarette and started puffing.

"No… maybe… yes…" Goku murmured. Why would I be jealous? She's not the only girl in this world! 

Sanzo arranged his glasses, picked up his book and walked out of the class. "Denial kills, you know."

"Maybe," Goku answered back quietly. He followed Sanzo from behind. Maybe she hates me already for destroying her card and shouted at her in front of her friends. Then, he spotted her walking down the stairs towards the lunchroom. He called out to her but she ignored. She passed him silently.

"Oii, matte Lirin!" 

"Don't bother," An arm rested on his shoulder. He pushed it away. Gojyo stood beside him with a spear in his left hand. 

"Come on, you're going to be late." He pulled Goku's collar and dragged him to the training centre. "Girls are the last thing you should worry about."

Goku struggled hard to release himself from Gojyo's grip. Soon, he was back on his feet. "Uh… Gojyo, why are you here?"

"I'm broke," Gojyo grinned and moved closer to Goku. "That corrupt monk is so stingy," He whispered and grabbed the doorknob with his two hands. His face was pale.

"Are you alright?" Goku asked full of sympathy.

Gojyo grinned more. "The truth is, I have no idea what to teach." 

"Seriously?"

"I'm only pro when it comes to woman." He looked around to make sure there is no one listening. "How about we have dinner together tonight and discuss more on girls?" 

"Oii, don't pollute that boy's head with your insane ideas!" Sanzo suddenly interrupted from behind. A big fan landed on their heads, creating little bumps. "Get to your class, now!"

"Okay, okay," Gojyo laughed and pushed Sanzo aside. How did they get stuck with him in the first place, he wondered. He can just picture the monk losing his temper while teaching. Veins popping out on his forehead every the seconds, maybe.

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~Roses are red, violets are blue…~ 


	5. Lirin, Lirin

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Hai, I'm back with the next chapter. Thank you so much for the beautiful reviews and those ideas. Thank goodness I can come up with something since I was kind of busy with homework. Yes, homework. So, enjoy this chapter and please feel free to comment me. Hugs and kisses.

Chapter 4

Lirin took of her new pair of sweater and tossed it on the bed and pulled out another pair of sweater from the closet. Fixing her buttons, she stood into the full-length mirror and admired herself. Maybe I'll look better if I braid my hair, she thought, as her fingers fiddled with a ribbon. Suddenly the door slammed open.

"Geez! Where are you going with that kind of fashion?" 

"Onichan!" she gasped. Quickly, she grabbed the remaining clothes and hid them behind her. "What are you doing here? And didn't anyone tell you to knock before entering?"

"Can't a brother visit his sister?" Kougaiji snorted and slumped himself comfortably on the small couch near the bed. He studied the blue room. "Stuffy, but comfortable," He commented. His eyes scrolled around the table, at the stacks of papers at the corner and supplies of food inside a box beside the closet. "You're having your finals next week, right?"

She nodded.

"Don't worry," He stood up and patted his sister's head and added, "It's a piece of cake. You'll pass easily, trust me."

"I'm not worried!" Lirin answered back, playfully hugging her only brother. For her, nothing is impossible when it comes to pleasing the only person she cared. She still remembered the day her mother, Gyokumen, wanted to sacrifice her just to revive Master Gyumao. If it wasn't for Kougaiji, who saved her, she wouldn't be there, enjoying school and have a life of her own. Some mother, she cursed silently.

"I love you, too," Kougaiji said, removing her arms gently from his waist. " Well, it's time for me to go now." Looking at his watch. He planted a kiss on her forehead and made his way to the exit. 

"Now? But you just got here. Where are you going actually?" Lirin asked from behind, just before he closed the door.

He winked. "Some unfinished business at the East Gate, quite a distance away from the city. Maybe I'll be away for a while and you better hurry up or else you'll miss Sanzo's class."

Somehow, she didn't feel convinced. Unfortunately, she knew that when his brother says something, he meant it and there's no other way to stop him. "Take care…" She muttered under her breath, as she watched her brother disappeared into the crowd.

"I don't want to!" Goku screeched, shoving himself away from Gojyo's strong grip. "I don't want, don't want and don't want!"

"Seriously?" Gojyo gave him a pitiful look. They've been doing recital for the same play over and over again for the last three hours and still, it's imperfect. "Come on, you have to," He persuaded again.

"Maybe you should give him a break," Hakkai whispered into Gojyo's ear. Hakkai had been standing at the corner, watching them throughout the hours. Before he started working there, he had been roaming around town, figuring out what to do to waste his time. Unfortunately, he just can't stand a day lazing around. Sitting alone in the large sitting room made him feel uncomfortable as he only made way for himself to remember his past, which he truly wish to erase from his memory.

"Well, alright," Gojyo agreed after a while. He tossed the script aside and left the room. "Tomorrow, same time, Goku!" His voice echoed through the long hallway.

Goku shrugged. He was exhausted and hungry. He had to miss breakfast that morning. It's all the alarm clock's fault, he cursed. If it hadn't ran out of batteries, I wouldn't be late!

"Are you alright?" Hakkai asked from behind. 

"Yeah," Goku replied. "I guess I'm still alive."

Hakkai smiled. He noticed the changes in the teenage boy in front of him. Somehow, Goku looked as if he loosed weight and seemed a little stressed. Maybe it's the tight schedule, he thought. He arranged his glasses, stacked his paper works and followed the boy out of the room. "You're not in my class, are you?" He asked from behind.

Goku just shook his head. 

"Why not?" He continued asking.

Silence.

"Alright," Hakkai sighed. "Hey, how about some soda at the cafeteria?" Without waiting for an answer, he dragged the boy all the way down the stairs. Withdrawing from Goku's exhausted face, Hakkai busied himself preparing drinks, at the same time launching into an amusing description of the coming Valentine Party. But as he sat down, Goku was already snoring at the table. "Hello… anybody there?" Tapping softly on Goku's head.

"What…?" Goku voice was groggy. "Oh, it's you…"

"Wow, you really are drained out," He joked and handed him his drink. "My treat. Now, bring me up to date. What did I miss?"

"Nothing…" He replied warily. 

"Okay, who did you invite to be your partner at the dance then?" 

"No one."

Just then, the cafeteria door burst open as all everyone rushed in to get their lunch. Everyone seemed to busy minding their own business. Among the crowds, they suddenly spotted Lirin and a group of kids tagging along close to her from behind. "Hakkai-san, it's a surprise to see you here," She greeted as she passed their table. 

"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" Hakkai replied, offering her a seat. 

Soon, both of them engaged into a long conversation as she explained the exam course, extra activities, extreme endurance test and Sanzo's weird class. "All he seems to know is how to get revenge for everything. Don't you think that's kind of…unnatural? I mean, not to be the perfect thing to be taught to kids, like them, for example," She pointed to a group of people fighting at the corner. Suddenly, gun-shot was heard from another end that came together with what sounds like 'shut up and go die somewhere else'. "Okay… maybe a little weird and a whole lot of crap." She continued.

"I understand," Hakkai agreed and continued, "But, still, you have to forgive his bad temper. After all, he's not at all that, uh, mean."

"Really?" She chuckled.

So cute, Goku thought. He had been watching the both of them talking from under his long dark brown hair that covers his eyes and they didn't even realize, assuming that he was still asleep. Finally, it was the time he waited for came.

"Do you have anyone in mind to be your partner for the dance?" Hakkai asked just before Lirin left her seat.

"Partner?" She took a quick look at Goku. Partner for the dance? Who will be my partner, she wondered when suddenly a tall boy came up from behind her. Lirin quickly grabbed his wrist and pushed him beside her. "He. He will be my partner," She said immediately and grinned.

"What?!" Goku gasped silently, however still not moving.

"He will be my partner, for the dance, only," She repeated.

"Ah, good looking guy." Hakkai praised, looking at the surprised boy in front of him. "And do you mind telling me his name?"

"His name? Uh, his name is, uh…" Lirin babbled "What's your name?" She whispered to the boy next to her.

"I'm David Marshall," He replied back and shook Hakkai's hand. "Uh, nice to meet you," Still surprised, he politely excused himself and walked out of the room.

Lirin tucked her chair in and picked up her books. "Hakkai-san, whose your date? Would she be Yaone?" She asked just before she left.

Hakkai blushed. "Yaone? Maybe." He moved closer to Lirin. "That's if your brother doesn't mind."

"My brother? He won't be here next week." 

"Eh? Why?"

Lirin sighed. "He said that he's busy somewhere near the East Gate."

East Gate? Isn't that the place where many soldiers rest in peace after the war seized years ago? What is that guy up to at a place like that, Hakkai wondered. Oh right, we are going to have a meeting later something about that also.

Back at the room, Goku tossed his bed on the floor and slumped himself on the small bed. What does he got that I don't, Goku grumbled and punched a pillow with his fists. What?

"Let me answer for you."

"Gojyo, leave me alone…" Goku pleaded.

Ignoring his plead, Gojyo made himself comfortable by the windows. "You lack of courage, boy."

"…What do you mean…" Goku asked from under the blanket.

"Hm," He tapped his chin. "Sure you're strong, but when it comes to girls, man, you're slow."

"So?"

"So, I can help you," Gojyo snapped.

"…Forget it…" Goku covered his face with the pillow. "Please close the door when you go out."

"Hah!" He spat. "That's okay. I'm always there when you need me."

"Good night…"

"Fine!"

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End of chapter. ^0^ Is this going anywhere or I seemed to be forgetting something that I should put in the story to spice things up.


	6. Roses and Thorns

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Ah, I'm so in a good mood today. Your reviews really cheered me up. Thank you! I wasn't really sure if this was really Goku and Lirin fic, since I mixed and matched all of them together. I even put them through a whole lot of mess. I wonder if I can come out with more bizarre pairings. ^o^ Hahah… Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5

There was a shine in Lirin's dark red eyes as she strolled down the stairs side by side with David. After spending days with him, Lirin found out what type of guy he was. It seemed that he too, was a youkai, a demon like her. Only that she didn't notice his sharp pointed ears at first because he had cleverly kept it hidden under his long floppy fringe. She had also found out that he was kind of shy and most of the time when they talk, she was always the first person to start. He is the type of person who she can trust to keep secrets. Unfortunately, she only wanted to be friends with him and nothing more. But then, she just didn't have the heart to tell him that after all the ruckus she made at the cafeteria days ago. It would be mean.

Goku watched both of them with anger as they passed him. Somehow, he just felt angry with himself for not having the guts to apologize for whatever he did that day that made her hate him that much, or so. He watched her passed him slowly and disappeared into the lab.

Back at the meeting room, everyone seemed to pay extra attention at the tall man in front of them. Sanzo sat uncomfortably on the chair next to Hakkai and opposite Gojyo at the large oval shaped table. He eyed everyone inside the room. He was getting bored. If it weren't for the paychecks, he would have bust out and shoot dead everyone that had gotten on his nerves, especially the new principal in front of the room. 

"Examinations will be graded according to their performance in the obstacle course three weeks ago."

Boring, Sanzo yawned. Isn't there anything this guy can talk about besides academic and more academics, he wondered as he lighted a cigarette. 

"Any questions?" The principal asked, looking at all of them.

"Yeah, when do you want to die?" Sanzo replied back sarcastically. He deliberately pointed his revolver at the man in front of him.

The man snorted. "Thank you everyone, you may leave." He said and looked at Sanzo. "You, stay." 

Gojyo and Hakkai gave him a meaningful look just before they closed the door. The monk grinned and slumped back deeply into one of the sofas in the room. The man handed him a glass of ice water and ignored his stare. "Did you think you could exterminate me with that gun of yours?" He asked.

"Nope, I don't think so," Sanzo answered back. "But, I do think it's enough to keep you silence for a while," he continued, picturing a bloody man on the carpet.

"Seriously?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No Zeon, I'm the freaking liar." 

Zeon laughed. He walked passed Sanzo and dug through a small drawer near his desk. After a while, he pulled out a gray file and took out a piece of letter from it and handed it to Sanzo. 

"What's this?"

"After you guys sort of destroyed, or stopped the revival of the demon king, or whatever you called him, the mist which has also caused other demons to lose control had also seized. Which means, there can be no other way to awaken the dark part of these demons, unless by some other paranormal activities." Zeon explained briefly. "The last place you people battled these possessed demons under whoever that is behind it was at the end of this city, which is the East Gate, right?"

Sanzo kept silence. True, that was the last place. But, who cares. Hakkai took care of all the dead bodies already. He even saw for himself, the green-eyed guy buried the dead. For crying out loud, he even prayed for them. "So?"

"This mail came in yesterday. I thought you could, at least find a way."

Frowning, Sanzo opened the letter. He sat cross-legged on the sofa as the words swam in front of his eyes as he read.

Just outside the room, Gojyo stooped forward, placing his ears on the door, trying to hear their conversations. Stop whispering, his brain screamed. He knew it was silly for him to eavesdrop, but somehow, he must find out what are they discussing about. He was busy listening when suddenly Goku came up from behind and greeted him loudly.

Luckily he managed to pull him away from the door just as Sanzo stormed out angrily. 

"Gojyo-san, what's wrong with Sanzo?" Goku asked, puzzled.

Still keeping a look out for unwelcome visitors, he only managed a small 'shh'. They watched the two of them argued, throwing cursing words at each other. Goku carefully looked at Sanzo. For the first time ever, he saw the quite man flew into rage and actually shouting out loud. It's not that he never loses his temper, but if he does, it was usually because of him or Gojyo. What is upsetting him, Goku wondered. 

After a while, both of them each went separate ways, one to the lunchroom and the other to the staff room. Gojyo pulled out a long sigh of relief. He then turned his attention to Goku, who was still crouching on the floor.

"Hei, saru. Get up!" He said, shoving the boy to the side. "How long are you going to lay on the floor, anyway?"

Goku growled. He got up and dusted his pants. "How many times must I tell you. I'm not a saru!" He glared at Gojyo.

"Ah," Resting his arm on Goku's shoulder. "I forgot." 

"Liar…"

"So, what's up?" Gojyo asked, as he looked around for any place he can dispose his cigarette butts.

Goku draped himself out of one of the school's third floor window. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask Gojyo's help on girls, Lirin, specifically. But then, there was no other choice, since, well, Gojyo has always been the ace when it comes to attracting attentions from girls.

"It's Lirin, right?" Gojyo cut through his thoughts. 

Goku nodded slowly. He had no time to lose. The only thing that matter is that, Lirin must be his. Picturing Lirin with David made him boil up. It doesn't bother him how, as long it works. "Can you help me?"

Gojyo laughed out loud. "Of course! What do you think a friend is for?" Then, he pulled Goku out of the institution through the back door. "We can discuss a lot out there." 

"What do you call this?"

"Beats me," David laughed. David has been tagging along with Lirin for the whole week. No matter how hard he tried to leave her side, he just couldn't. There's something about her that draws his attention. It wasn't about her looks. It was something else. Maybe it's her attitude. Her attitude reminds him to his sister, who had passed away years ago, on one of those dark gloomy misty nights. He forced the thought from his mind. "Revolver, M-16, riffle, AK-47, M4-A1, that's my limit."

"Oh, look at this one!" Lirin swooped over to another glass case filled with assortments of antique gun collections. She turned to him with a shy smile. "One day, I'm going to have my home filled with guns like this… and I will have them all named." 

He looked at her silently for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was gentle. "You know what, I think you will."

Lirin smiled. He is the sweetest person in the whole world, she thought. But then, Goku would be better, if only he was brave enough to do something, apologize maybe. If he did, she would gladly accept his apologies immediately. Don't make me wait, Goku, she prayed.

Goku was captivated by the sweeping beauty of the native garden behind the school, and a series of stone terraces led from the closely clipped lawn to a bush reserve below. Beyond that stretched the silken blueness of the ocean. "If only Lirin is here. Then we could admire the beauty together." Goku said to Gojyo.

"Too bad she belongs to someone else already," Gojyo joked. He brushed his fingers gently over a red-veined leaf.

"That's a bad joke," He snapped back.

"Oii, come on. We don't have all day. Let's see what kind of flowers do they have back there," Gojyo said, pointing towards the maze garden behind the tall bushes. Soon, both of them were seen busying plucking fresh flowers, from daisies, roses to bougainvillea and orchids.

"Are you sure nobody cares about these?" Goku asked showing a bouquet. 

Gojyo shrugged. "Don't know, don't care." He grinned. "Don't worry. Nobody will know if you don't brag. Remember rule number one, sacrifice yourself for your loved ones."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "What next?"

Gojyo sighed. " Then, send it to her. Don't forget a short lovely message."

"Naruhodo, I understand," With that, he carefully tore a piece of paper from his notebook and began scribbling something on it. Then, he showed it to Gojyo. "How's this?"

Gojyo grinned. "Pretty impressive. You know, you could be a good writer someday." 

"Then?"

"Ugh" He slapped his forehead. "Put the letter in an envelope…"

"This one?" Goku cut through.

"Right. Then send it to her together with the flowers." Gojyo explained patiently. "Well?"

Goku stared at the gift silently. "But, I don't dare."

Gojyo immediately did an imitation of a person being shot and fell down flat on the ground. "Get someone to send it for you then," He said. Luckily, just as his words stopped, Yaone came out from the institution with one of her students. Gojyo got up and pulled both of them to Goku.

"What's going on?" Yaone asked puzzled.

Gojyo leaned closer and rested his arm on her shoulder. "Say, can I borrow her for a moment?" 

"Sure," She answered and looked at the small girl near her. "Melynlas, these guys want to talk to you for a while." The girl nodded, understandingly. Goku's hands trembled as he handed her the envelope and letter. Melynlas took the gift and smiled, "Who is that lucky person you want me to give this to?"

"Would you mind delivering this to Lirin?"

"Right!" 

The three of them watched her entering the school from behind. Yaone shook her head in disbelief. "The things guys do to get a woman," She chuckled and walked away to the herbarium.

"One last thing," Gojyo said suddenly. "Did you signed your name on the letter?"

Goku shook his head. "What is that? Is it edible?"

Gojyo slammed his head somewhere on the wall. " You are one hard kid…" 

"Sorry…"

"Don't be, she could have thought it was from a secret admirer," Gojyo whispered. "Just get me an aspirin. I think I ruptured a blood vessel."

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End of chapter ^o^; How was it? Ah, is it Zeon or Zenon and is it Shien or shinen? I don't want to get their names spelled wrongly or else they curse me. Heheh… 


	7. Hidden Truth

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Yay, chapter six. Thank goodness I still have my brains loaded with ideas. Maybe all this fic needs is um, some blood? What do you think? 

^o^ Oh yeah, someone asked me how does Goku and Lirin sleep if there's only one bed. Maybe they sleep together or one on the floor or on the couch. They do have a sofa somewhere, I guess…

^o^ Rook, do you really want me to put Yaone and Gojyo together? I…don't think Hakkai and Kougaiji like the idea of Yaone hanging around that guy. But perhaps…

^o^ Ruby, lirin_is_me(did I get it right?), Gemini, um and other reviewers (So sorry, I can't memorize names), thanks for those reviews and ideas. I think they might come in handy somewhere and sure, I love guys who adore their sister and loud-mouthed people.

^.^ You guys just brighten my day. Hahah… let's continue with the next chapter. Enjoy! 

Chapter 6

"Blue."

"Favorite artist?"

"Blue."

"Favorite lipstick shades?"

"Blue…huh? I don't wear lipstick," Lirin said, pulling the long scented paper from Melynlas' hands. "What are you doing?"

Melynlas gave her a sheepish smile. "It's a secret." She pulled back the paper. "Thank you for your cooperation and enjoy the gifts!" At that she winked and skipped herself down the hallway. 

Lirin examined the bouquet and envelope. She placed the flowers in a small vase on the desk in the room. Fresh flower. Must have been plucked from the garden, she thought, making a wild guess. She sat down comfortably on the carpeted floor and carefully tore an opening on the envelope. But just as she was about to start reading, a soft knock on the door was heard and David entered with a bag full of food. 

"Am I bothering you?" He asked as he pushed back his black hood.

"Not exactly what you call…busy. What's with the hood?" 

He smiled and pulled her up from the ground and shoved her out of the room. "Great, let's have lunch together in the garden!"

"Hold it!" She cried out. "I left my books in the lab. Why don't you just find us a place at the uh, cafeteria because it looks kind of cloudy at the moment," Looking out the window and added, "… I'll be there in a jiffy."

David gave her 'don't be late look' and pushed himself through the crowded hallway. 

She hurried back up the stairs and through the twisted hallway. Apparently she was to fast to stop and bumped into Hakkai who was in her way, sending papers and files scattering all over the place. She gasped and clasped her hands on her mouth. "I'm so, so sorry…" She whispered. Lirin quickly bend down and helped him up. 

Hakkai rubbed his elbow and smiled. "That's okay." Staggering forward, he began collecting the scattered papers.

"Here, let me help you." But just as she folded up her sleeves, something written on one of the papers caught her attention.

"I am not going there again!" Sanzo snapped angrily. "Like hell I care."

"Please, for the sake of all living creatures on this planet," Zeon pleaded. "Can't you sense something… evil that is coming closer and closer to us every minutes?"

"Go die! You think I care about some revival and destruction? I've had it with terminating demons and I'm not about to waste the lives of these kids for some immortal war."

"You have to understand," Zeon said pulling Sanzo closer to him. "Our base at the border is lack of soldiers. Plus they don't have that sort of skill used to defeat demons. They are not the Heaven army I'm used to train. They are just normal humans. Don't you get it. What you and your friends killed, died but their bodies didn't rot the way you expected. Now, someone or some… thing, had revived and control them like mindless puppets, zombies to be exact."

"Get your filthy hands of me," Sanzo growled. "Is that it? You need soldiers? What happened to 'the great Zeon' who can train people to be men of war?"

Zeon looked down. "They weren't ready. The attack was a surprise."

Sanzo looked into the mirror. "What makes you think I can handle them?"

"You're good."

"And?"

"… smart…"

"Yeah right. That was supposed to be the last thing I wanted to hear." He snapped. "What makes you think that these kids want to kill their own kind? Don't you know that half the populations in this institution are demons? I'm through with this," Pushing the chair which blocked the doorway.

"The attackers already released the type of mists that could awaken the evil part of any living demons around the world," Zeon said slowly.

"What…?"

"Someone is controlling them using mists. Some of my men were like Hakkai and Gojyo. They wore limiters. Apparently, the mists were able to take control over their mind and thus used them to destroy their comrades." 

Suddenly both of them were surprised by a knock on the door. They both stared at the entrance. "What are you doing here?" Sanzo asked.

Hakkai stepped in and shook his head. "There is a problem."

"What problem?"

Then, a small girl stepped away from behind Hakkai. Her eyes shone with anger as she tightened her fists in her pockets.

"Lirin… what is going on?"

Hakkai pushed her in the room and closer the door behind him. "I didn't mean to spill the secret, but…"

"Why didn't you tell me about the East Gate?!" Lirin broke out. 

"That's totally not your concern," Zeon answered back sharply.

"Yes it is, damn it!" Lirin scowled back. "My brother is there and I have the right to know what is going on." Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Your brother? What is he doing there?" Zeon asked, puzzled.

Sanzo punched the table. "That's it. He is the youkai prince. Obviously he'll sense the trouble first." 

"You mean he couldn't face the fact that someone else is controlling his demons?" Zeon joked. Everyone stared at him. "O…kay, maybe that was a terrible joke."

"I don't think that this is the work of Gyokumen Koushu and her clans," Hakkai said. 

"Give me the map," Sanzo ordered. He traced a route with his fingers. "Apparently, they are not getting any closer to this institution. I think we should give the kids day off, for safety reasons."

"Look," Hakkai said, pointing at the gates in the maps. "I think they're targeting the South Gate, North Gate and West Gate of this city."

"Whoever 'they' are, the leader must be a careful one. Everything is planned perfectly. Why do I get the feeling that this is some kind of inside work?" Sanzo added.

"Explain it to me," Zeon asked.

The monk slapped his forehead. "Look closer," Shoving the map to his face. "Once they're done, there's no way out from this place. They intend to block all exits, meaning cut us from outside help."

David continued staring at his watch. He had been waiting for Lirin for the past one hour. What is taking her so long, he wondered. Slowly he took out a hamburger and began munching it. Just then, Melynlas walked in. She waved at him and made her way towards his table. "Hi, what's up?" She greeted. Melynlas was wearing white today. She had on a white turtleneck sweater, a long white skirt with long white tight leggings, white boots and wore a white glove with snipped ends on her right hand (Can someone picture this kid?).

"She's late." He answered in short.

"Have you seen Jezebel?" She asked, looking around. 

He shook his head.

"I just send someone a… gift and I have gym class later." Melynlas announced. Pulling a long sharp pin, she began arranging her long silver hair. " Does anyone actually believe in 'L' on this planet? How do I look?"

David looked at the tall girl in front of him from head to toes. "Uh, okay…"

"Okay? Okay isn't enough, you should at least say that I'm pretty or something encouraging," She chuckled and took out three different shades of lipsticks. "Which one?"

He closed his eyes and pointed at the lipstick with his finger. "Are you really going continue with your plan?"

"Why not? I've been waiting for this moment since like, ten. Besides, I've got the perfect thing to get the job done."

"You mean, this is not only for some revenge? You also found a sacrifice? That fast?"

"Believe me. I'll do anything for my dear twin." Melynlas gave him a sharp glare. "I longed for this power and I don't intend to give it away that easily." 

David ignored her and continued eating.

"Look here pal. If you loved her and still do, there's still a way and you know it," Melynlas said meaningfully, as she dug her long sharp nail into the pickled cucumber. Somehow, small icicles began forming at the corner of the container. She turned around and spotted Lirin walking into the room. "Don't bother about me, I'm going out to find the perfect lunch. Just make sure you get you job done," She whispered softly. He watched her as she walked elegantly passed Lirin. 

Disturbed and preoccupied, Gojyo sat down restless in the office. "Poor kid," he murmured. Staring outside at the lush green land, his mind began drifting away. He recalled the night Goku went into his room for more advises. It seemed that he wasn't satisfied with the flowers only. "She is not the only girl alive, you know," He told him, but Goku insisted that Lirin was his and no one else. Until finally, Gojyo's last answer made him walked out the door smiling.

He pushed his long red hair back. He studied his messy table. There were loads of unmarked papers and uncompleted teaching reports. He got up from his seat, paced back and forth near the window and walked towards Yaone at the other end of the room.

The purple-eyed demon was busily tapping the computer to even notice Gojyo walking slowly towards her. His greeting made her jump in surprise. She only managed a silent 'hi' and resumed to her work. Gojyo gave her a pitiful puppy look. Finally, unable to concentrate, she saved her files into a disc and turned off her computer.

"Alright. What?" She asked rather annoyed but trying to keep her voice sweet and demure as usual.

Gojyo smiled and sat on her table. "Say, are you busy tonight?"

Yaone raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Nothing much. Why?"

"Good!" He clapped his hands. "How about…"

"Oh right, Hakkai invited me for dinner tonight," She cut through just before Gojyo finished his sentences. "Sorry, what did you want to ask me about?"

Gojyo bit his lower lips. Some luck, he muttered. He looked into the eyes of the youkai in front of him and flashed a fake smile. "Nope. It's nothing. You just go on have a great night."

Yaone picked up her thesis and arranged her table. " I'm going out to the grenade house. Are you sure there's nothing?" She asked with concern. 

He shook his head slowly walked bock to his seat. Yaone walked passed him and closed the door behind her. 

"Hello teacher!" Melynlas greeted suddenly from behind him.

Gojyo looked at her surprised. "How and when did you get in here?"

"Uh, through the door, obviously and just seconds after Miss Yaone left." The girl answered briefly. Gojyo continued staring at her. That's impossible, his mind told him. He eyed Yaone all the way until she left and no one came in at all through the door. I must be losing my sanity, he told himself.

The girl walked closer to him. Gojyo sat at the chair unable to move. Somehow he felt as if his legs were glued to the floor. He watched her moving closer and closer to him. What is going on here, his brain screamed. There is something about those eyes. Those cold silver eyes…


	8. Sleepless Nights

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Miow, chapter seven already? I can't imagine myself. Alright, someone told me that my fic is getting a little confusing. The truth is, it is. That's because I'm not done with the explaining yet and there's more explaining coming up by Sanzo-sama. So, in order to understand, try using imagination. That might help, I guess. One more, Gojyo won't die. Trust me. He can't. He's too important. Yah, I'm babbling again! So, let's continue, shall we? Enjoy!

Chapter 7

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'I know about your past. I know about your nightmares. How? Because I was there when it happened. I was there when she tried to kill you. I was always with you. Everyday of your waking hours. I wanted you the first time I saw you, but you denied me. I was angry and furious, but what you did was acceptable. I watched you silently from underneath this bodiless soul. Even though I'm dead, I will never admit it. I want you. I wanted you so badly that I swear, I'll have you as my own. You are a valuable matter. I will do anything to get you. You can't run. You can't hide. You will be mine, forever.' 

Gojyo screamed. He struggled to get up from the realistic dream. But, somehow, something or someone was trying to force him to stay asleep. He panicked. He turned around and around the same spot in the fantasy world, which seemed to be spinning. All he saw was long stretches of mists. Everywhere was dark and gloomy. There wasn't even a tree or signpost. He tried to run forward but ended up at the same place again. Everything seemed endless. 

When he did wake up, the sheets were all wet from his perspiration. The cold sweat of fear. He panted, breathing hard. Gojyo bowed his head and put his face in his hands. The dream laid heavily on him. He felt warm tears streamed down his scarred cheek. Quickly, he wiped them off. Big guys don't cry, he told himself. Big guys don't cry because of some same stupid dream they've been having for the last five days. 

"Excuse me, can I come in?" Came a soft male voice from behind the thick brown door. Without waiting for an answer, he entered the room with a tray of food. He placed the tray on the table and walked towards the shut curtains and windows. "Can we have some light and air in here?" He asked, looking straight at Gojyo's face. 

"Sure," Gojyo replied, sounding a little exhausted and drained as if he had finished running dozens of miles, which was quite true actually. "Hakkai, what are you doing here? I thought you are supposed to be at the exam room, watching those kids going through their finals," He asked, suddenly remembering his friend's duty that day. 

Hakkai gave him a warm smile as usual. He drew the curtains and opened the windows wide. "I was worried about you, so Sanzo-sama agreed to take my place so that I can come up here to check on you," He explained, pushing the small coffee table closer to Gojyo's bed and sat next to him. "I brought you your favorites."

Gojyo forced himself to the food, even though he didn't really have the mood to eat at that moment. Slowly, he began chewing a slice of tuna sandwich. But then, just as he was about to take the third bite, he felt Hakkai's warm hand on his forehead. He backed off but Hakkai insisted on taking his temperature.

"You might be coming down with something," He told him. Hakkai noticed that his friend was a little pale. "You need to have more rest."

Gojyo denied. "Forget it, there is no way I'm staying in this room any longer." He stated.

Hakkai gave him a sad look. He knew something was troubling him, but he didn't know what. But, that wasn't a big matter for him. All he wanted was for his friend to get in good shape. Seeing his friend's status, he decided to delay the latest news from the main office. One by one, he told himself. "You have to rest, or else you condition gets worst," He advised putting his arms around Gojyo.

But then, instead of the usual harsh word, Gojyo suddenly broke into tears. " I can't take it anymore!" He whimpered, burying his face into Hakkai's arms. "I can't close my eyes. I can't sleep. I can't rest…"

"What…?" Hakkai asked surprised.

"It's haunting me. It wants me. I'm scared. So scared…" Gojyo was trembling all over. He grasped Hakkai's shirt tightly as if his life depends on it. "Don't leave me. I don't want to be alone!"

David waited patiently outside the biology exam room. He watched Lirin and her friends from an opening. "You've got three minutes left," the examiner in the room announced through a speaker.

"I bet she'll top us all again," Melynlas said with a rather annoyed tone, as she walked out. She eyed Lirin, who was busy arranging all her experiment results. 

David shrugged. "Are you jealous?"

She gave him a furious laughter. " Me? Jealous? Sorry dear, I don't care a dame a about some stupid exams and this life either." 

"So tell me then, what do you really want in life?" He asked jokingly.

She raised an eyebrow and grinned. " I hove no idea," She replied, as she picked up her backpack from the locker not far from the room. "I have to go to the next class for the next exam. See you later," She winked and made her way pass the crowded corridor. Her bright silver locks bobbed up and down.

David smiled at Lirin as she walked out of the room. How can she still concentrate on her exams when she knows about her brother, he wondered. He remembered that day when she had came to him with a face full of distress and misery, apart from that, she almost screamed her head off, cursing and cursing whoever that is around her. He, that time almost gave up on her. But then, the next day she lit up like always, greeted everyone politely as usual. 

What brother can do to you, he laughed silently at the thought. He pinched Lirin's cheek lightly. "I never want to see you cry again," He said to her. 

Lirin's large eyes sparkled. "You're so sweet!" She said, pulling his hands and continued, "Let's go to the artillery class."

"Wait, I have to get my reports from Miss Yaone," He told her.

"Then I'll go with you." She said quickly. David walked slowly near the hyperactive youkai. "Don't you get tired hopping along the way?" He asked but didn't expect an answer.

Finally, they reached the staff room. David asked Lirin to wait for him at the corner while he entered the office himself. It was already the school rules that students are not allowed to enter the staff room without any reason. 

He knocked the staff room door but no one answered. He waited a little longer. After a while, he lost his patience and went in. The room was empty as expected. He looked around. All the things on the tables there were neatly arranged. He scanned the room for Yaone's table. Then, he stopped. He heard something from the other room. There is a meeting, he thought. The meeting room was separated from the office by a large sliding door. 

Quickly, he retrieved his documents and made his way out. But then he heard something, which froze him in place. He hid himself and slowly trying to hear their conversation from the other side. 

Yaone paced back and forth the in the room. She was torn between innocent and feeling miserably guilty. The exam papers stacked neatly in the file on the table, was left untouched since the exam ended. Her heart pounded so hard and she felt as if it would jump out any second. Her restlessness stirred up Sanzo's patience.

He put down the newspaper and pulled out another stick of cigarette from his pocket. "Seriously, you will die of heart failure if you don't stop worrying about him," Sanzo snorted.

Yaone turned and looked at him. She couldn't believe what she just heard from the monk. Never in her life she hear anyone speak ill of their friends, especially close ones. She pushed a long strain of purple hair off her face. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself back to work. 

It was nearly twelve in the afternoon when Hakkai finally came into the office. Yaone quickly got up from her seat and offered him a glass of water. She looked at him with hope but he was expressionless.

"What happened?" She asked.

Hakkai shook slowly his head. "He's getting worst. He barely touches his food and if this goes on, sooner or later, he'll die of starvation." He paused for a while and continued, "There's something that's bothering him, but I just don't know what. I conclude that what's bothering him is really going to kill him."

Yaone flashed him a pitiful look. "Where is he now?"

"I brought him to my room. He told me he was afraid of something and didn't want me to leave him alone in his room," He told her. "I thought he would feel a little better if he stayed in my place till he recovers."

"I hope he'll have enough sleep," Yaone said but Hakkai shook his head.

"I doubt it if he'll have a pleasant one. It took me nearly an hour to get him to at least close his eyes. I'm telling you, something is haunting this guy, not only in real world but through dreams and memories."

The youkai look at him with sympathy. "It's all my fault." Yaone felt her eyes began to water. She just wished and wished she'd agreed to go out with him that day when he invited her to dinner. There wasn't any harm if she accept the invitation. He was Hakkai's friend and there couldn't possibly be anything he will do to harm her. "If I'd agreed that day, he couldn't possibly in this state."

Hakkai rubbed her shoulders and calmed her down. "Trust me. It's nobody's fault." He told her. Yaone pushed his hands aside softly. "I…have to go," She bowed her head a little and left the room. Hakkai stood silently at the center of the place. 

"Typical politeness," Sanzo said, interrupting Hakkai's thought.

Hakkai shrugged. He pulled a chair and made himself comfortable beside the monk. The green-eyed brunette rested his chin on his hands on the table. He had never felt so miserable in his life, apart from the day he lost Kana. He really wanted to do something, but somehow, he really couldn't keep his mind focused and straight. Then, he noticed something on the table.

"What is that?" He asked the monk. 

Sanzo grinned. He threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray and shoved the book closer to Hakkai. "I found this book somewhere in the library."

Hakkai studied the book. It looks old and faded. The pages in the book were either torn or the writings on it were unreadable because of the blotted ink. The tittle on the cover read ' Mysteries of the Illusion Tribe'.

"I usually don't waste my time reading craps like that, but the contents seemed to draw me to it," Sanzo said, pulling another stick of cigarette from the packet. "Take a look at the first three chapters."

Hakkai flipped through the pages. He pulled his glasses from his pocket and forced himself to try to read the blurry almost disappearing fonts.

"I've heard about them somewhere, but I wasn't really bothered at first. Who cares if they exist or not. But then, something that I read from there startled me for a while." He puffed more and continued, " It mentioned there that these people extinct because of their own believes. Their first believe was it is a taboo for them to kill especially their own people. Thus, if you kill, you also will die with the one you killed. That is why, they managed to have a large community. But, you think all of them loved each other?"

"…No?" Hakkai said, making a wild guess.

"Correct," He gave him a high five. " In the tribe, females were said to be the weak link. So the warriors usually used them as baits. Soon, one female stood up. She knew the consequences if she kills. But hatred followed her all the way. She had to make a sacrifice first in order to stay alive for at least a few hours after she kills one of her tribe member. The sacrifice? It was the blood of a half demon, half human. She managed to slaughter many within the night and yes, she died after that."

Hakkai turned the pages slowly and looked at Sanzo. "Is that all?" He asked.

Sanzo grinned. "Not quite the end. She had heirs, if I'm not mistaken." 

Hakkai who was usually the first to understand the monk's words suddenly found it really hard to believe him today. "I don't get it. What does this have to do with those sudden attacks?"

"These tribe are well known for their ability to change shape and take the identities of others. In short, they are called shape shifters. Apart from that, they have some sort of power or ability to control people's mind using the forces of nature around them, including mists." Sanzo replied in full. The purple-eyed monk stood up and went to the window. He took a deep breath. Somehow, only today he suddenly came to realize that there was something wrong with the weather. Why is there snowflakes at this time of the year, he asked himself. He pulled out his revolver and counted the bullets in them. "Hakkai," He said, now facing him. "You're quite good in geography, are you not?"

Hakkai startled at his question. How was that connected to his question earlier, he wondered but nodded in reply.

"Do you mind telling me, why is there snow in the middle of May?"

Goku grabbed his backpack and dashed down the corridor. Jezebel kept an eye on him until he vanished into another crooked hallway. Goku ran out of class as fast as he could after Hakkai explained about Gojyo's situation to him. 

He ran up the stairs, ignoring the slow down signs and tripped over the rubbish bins a few times. Finally, he came across the staff room. On his way, he noticed Lirin standing at the corner of the corridor. "Lirin-chan, what are you doing here?" He asked, panting. 

Lirin was surprised. She couldn't believe her eyes. There, standing and talking right in front of her, was Goku. She smiled. "I'm waiting for David. Where are you going?"

Goku however, didn't seem to care much about that boy now. He was in a hurry. "I'm going to visit Gojyo. Would you like to come?"

"I'm supposed to be waiting for David," She said in short. But then she changed her mind. She hastily tore off a page from her notebook and scribbled something on it. "There!" She said, sticking it on the wall. "Let's go." Goku held her hand as both of them made their way across the hallway towards Hakkai's room. 

Jezebel followed them silently from behind. She was clear about her objective. She would not tolerate failure. But if it happened, she would willingly pay with her own life. Her motif in life was only to fulfill her queen's wish. Certainly she didn't want to be recognize as a traitor when dies. Who wants anyway. She clutched her daggers firmly in her hands. It's eat, or be eaten, that was her motto. 

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End of chapter… 

Please review and don't hesitate to give comments. Thanks! ^o^


	9. Desire and Hope

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Welcome to chapter eight! So far, I think that this is, by far, the longest chapter I ever wrote. And, thank you so much for all your lovely reviews. You guys really keep me going. Enjoy! 

Chapter 8

David gasped. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't accept the fact. He backed out of the office. His heart was heavy. He didn't notice Melynlas behind him and bumped into her. He spun around and looked into her eyes. He was speechless. 

"Yo," She said, sweetly as usual.

David glared at her. "You. How could you do such a thing?!" He pushed her to the wall and pinned her tightly with his hands. His anger was beyond control. He barred his fangs. 

She licked her lips and gave him an evil smile. "Get you hands of me," She demanded. David glared and reluctantly released her. She arranged back her tops and cloak into position. Then she pulled his face closer to her. "My dear, dear darling, have you forgotten out duty. Well, I've certainly done mine. Besides, he's perfect for the job, in a way. Revenge and dinner."

He pushed her away from him. " For crying out loud, is her revival really that important?"

"David," She pushed her hair back and continued, "You know what, it is that important. After I revive her, both of us will complete some unfinished business first. Then, rule this continents. That's my objective. You? Weren't you the one that said you'd do anything to get your sister back? Are you hesitating? You know that she will help you bring her back to life. Why are you denying her?"

"But she's only a soul trapped in a glass ball. What can she do?"

"That is why, we need a body for her," She snapped back. "Darling, you're underestimating her powers, is it? We Illusionians, have something you humans and other low class demons don't. By the way, she's doing a great job managing her little playthings. She trusted us to get the job done here, and we trusted her to get rid of those meddling bugs."

David sighed. What have he gotten into this time, he wondered. "Can't you just do it? I mean, bring Sara back?"

Melynlas just shook her head. "Not now. Besides, not all of us have the ability to give life, you know. In this case, only my sister can. There will be a full moon two weeks from now and that's when I'll get my strength and my sister and I will grant you your wish. That is why we need a body fast."

"Whose body are you looking for…?" David asked slowly. He closed his eyes hard, afraid to hear the answer.

The red-haired half-breed slammed himself hard on the walls of the room. His face twitched in agony and pain. Lirin and Goku watched him helplessly. Both of them were drained out of energy. 

"Goku, we have to stop him," Lirin whined. She watched in horror Gojyo picked up a broken piece of glass from the ground. "Please stop," She begged but it was useless. His mind was unconscious.

Goku on the other hand was panting very hard. He was exhausted. He shook his head. "It's no use. We have to get help. Why don't I try to restrain him and you run down to get help," He suggested.

But just as she was about to leave, Hakkai and Sanzo suddenly came barging in. Hakkai quickly grabbed Gojyo's arms and pushed them aside. "Gojyo-san, wake up!" He cried out.

"I'll get help," Lirin announced, making her way out. 

"Someone get the medic!" Sanzo ordered as he pushed Gojyo's head down on the pillow. "Oy baka, wake up!" He hissed, pulling out the bloody piece of glass out of Gojyo's wounded palm. Somehow, he sensed the excruciating pain his friend was suffering from inside. "He's losing blood," The monk said as he placed his finger on the redhead's wrist to check his pulse. It's slowing down, he told himself. Without any hesitation, Sanzo ripped apart his sleeves into halves and quickly wrapped up the long cut just below Gojyo's ribs.

"Yaone-san, get the tranquilizer," Hakkai said immediately as the purple-haired youkai entered. She was bewildered at the gory sight in front of her. It wasn't that she had never witnessed such thing, only that this time it had caught her by surprise. 

"Yaone-san!" 

Hakkai's voice shattered her thoughts. She blinked and grabbed a small potion from her small first aid bag. Making herself a place, she quickly get ready to indulge herself into a long painstaking hours of operation to at least stitch up the cuts and get Gojyo's pulse back to normal. But then she stopped. She looked at Sanzo's eyes desperately. " Anou, we need a blood donor. Do you mind donating yours?" She asked with hope.

Lirin ran as fast as she could. She was terribly exhausted but was determine to get rid of the phantom-like creature, which followed her from behind. It moved swiftly like the winds and was getting closer and closer to her. After turning around every corner existed on that certain block, Lirin came to realize that she had walked right into a dead-end. The large window in front of her was barred and locked. 

"Alright, show yourself!" She demanded angrily. After years of training with Dokugakuji, I must at least try to defend myself, she said to herself. She clipped her hair, which was distracting her visions up into a large bun. She forced herself to stay focused as the long narrow hallway in front of her began to be filled with dark gray mists.

A large pair of black wings emerged from the dark, flapping few times before disappearing, and in it's place, an image of a human became visible. Lirin rubbed her eyes. The mist was blinding her. Finally, the image became clear. "…Jezebel?" She said in disbelief.

Jezebel's face showed no expression. She stood silently in front of Lirin. I live only to follow orders, the voice in her head reminded her. The jet-black choker she wore slowly illuminated dark red. Jezebel shook her head and growled. "Fight me!" She hissed, lurching towards Lirin. Her blades glinted in the pale sunlight through the window. "Fight me if you want to live!"

Lirin fell back but managed to regain balance as she tried to avoid most of the attacks. She broke through the attacks and began counterattacking the furious demon in front of her. She's moving too fast, her mind screamed. I'm stuck in a one sided fight. There's no way I can win if I can't read her mind. But then, Jezebel lost her balance and stumbled back a little. Chance, Lirin thought. Quickly, she created a small fireball and aimed it to Jezebel.

Unfortunately, as one of the highly trained army in her tribe, Jezebel easily avoided the flames. The demon sprang forward without warning and grabbed Lirin by her hair. She slammed the small girl hard on the wall with amazing strength.

Lirin groaned. Her body felt limb as blood began oozing out through the cut on her forehead. Jezebel stared at her. Her eyes did not show any feelings and were as cold as ice. Grasping Lirin's hair, Jezebel pulled her head back, exposing Lirin's throat.

She raised the dagger.

She held it high as both of them heard a voice not far away.

"Jez!" Melynlas happy face appeared in the hallway followed by a startled demon. 

"Sire," Jezebel replied as she bowed her head down a little. "Allow me to finish my duty." She tugged Lirin's hair hard until Lirin's head rested on the floor.

Lirin coughed. She felt her lungs almost bursting but she forced herself to stare deeply into David's eyes. "You… you planned this?" Her voice came out a little choked. "What did I…do wrong that you…that you want me dead?"

David opened his mouth but no words came out. "I…I…" His words paused as Melynlas pushed him aside. "Let me tell you," She interrupted. "First, you childish face is not fit for you. Second, I hate your guts and third," She moved closed to her and continued, "Third, blame it on your mom." 

"My mom?" Lirin asked puzzled. She tried to raise her head a little but unfortunately Jezebel held her head hard on the floor. 

Melynlas sneered sadistically, clearly enjoying this moment. "Poor child, how can you be such an ignoramus? Don't you remember me? Look closely. Look closely at these eyes," She said angrily. " Remember the twins that that sick scientist brought back into his lab two years ago? Remember them?"

"What…?"

"Silly thing… every time I try to remember those moments, I'm actually torturing myself from inside," She sniffed, rubbing her hand against her shoulder. "Even after I escaped from there, I can still feel the pain your mother and the stupid doctor inflicted on me and my sister. Did you know if I hadn't escape earlier, I would have lost my body like my sister? Luckily you're mom didn't know that people like us don't die that easily. And now, it's payback time. I'll rip apart every bits and pieces of dignity she owns with my own bare hands. I'm going to teach her a lesson that is never ever mess around with me. Plus, watch out humans. Your soul, too will not escape my anger." 

Lirin gurgle the blood in her mouth as she tried to understand the girl's words. She was having difficulty breathing. David prayed eagerly behind the tall gothic girl. He really wanted to do something, but not in this situation. Finally, he found as idea. Better try than never, he told himself.

David moved closer to Melynlas and whispered something into her ear. She grinned. "Really, since when are you eager to kill?" She asked suspiciously.

"Don't you have other unfinished business? I can take care of her. You have my words." He assured her. 

Melynlas sighed and turned to Jezebel, "Let her go."

"Excuse me?"

"Let her go and give David one of your daggers," She ordered the green-hair demon. "We have more things to do. Meet me at the first floor with all this institution members. I want to recruit new soldiers for our new empire." Jezebel growled angrily at all of them and disappeared. Then she looked at David with cold expression and said," Remember, I want her dead and don't scar her body."

As soon as Melynlas disappeared from their sight, David quickly ran to Lirin and helped her up. Apparently Lirin pushed him aside fiercely. "Don't you dare touch me!" She warned, wiping her bloody forehead. 

"I'm so sorry…" He apologized as his fingers fiddled with the dagger's pointed end.

"You know what, I have NEVER been annoyed in my whole life until just know," She shouted at him. Good thing I don't have heat ray vision. Otherwise, I'll burn a hole right through his heart, she grumbled silently.

"Look, I'm sorry," He repeated, trying to calm the girl in front of him down. David moved closer to Lirin and softly pressed his hand on her wounded forehead.

"What… are you doing…?" 

He signaled her to stay silent as he concentrated on what he was doing, which was trying to close the cut. He smiled plainly at her. "Just something a vamp can do to save his love ones," He said as he moved his hands to another injured part.

Lirin never took her eyes of him. She began studying his features, which she really never had the time to do, when she realized that her hands suddenly felt moist. "What's wrong?" She asked. Her expression softens and a sense of sympathy rose inside her. Her anger towards David obviously couldn't get any longer that ten minutes slowly seized.

The demon blushed and rubbed his tears with his sleeve. "I'm sorry. I just can't help it. You just remind me of someone. That's all." He said quickly.

"Who?" She asked eagerly.

He shook his head slowly. "…Sara."

"Your girlfriend?"

"My sister," He answered with bitter irony. "She… died after someone put six bullets through her brain." He sat down beside Lirin and he rested his back against the locker. "I wasn't her fault, you know." He told her. " Do you still remember the weird thick mist years ago? Rumors said that it was caused by somebody who is conducting some kind of biohazard plans to revive the demon king, or whoever he was. I guess that somebody didn't realize that his or her experiments actually bring harm to creatures around them. My family and I, we all live in peace and harmony with the humans. But after this incident, dad first, lose his mind and started killing everyone that was in his way, including my mom…"

"And then?" Lirin asked. Outside, she was eager to hear his story. But inside, her heart seemed never seized to stop cursing someone. She knew who that person was. It was her selfish, arrogant self-centered mother and her pathetic professors. She knew her mother's intention was to revive Kougaiji's dad, who was sealed, not because she loved him or something, but because she was hungry for power. Her heart ached with anger every time she recalled the days her brother shed tears for his mother that her mother sealed just to take her place. "Please, do continue."

"My sister, was next. She lose every bits of memories she had. Can you believe it, she could even remember me. The demon in her was stronger than her and took control of her instantly. She was hungry all the time and soon began killing even in broad daylight. I tried to stop her, but it was too late. She killed a small boy in one of the village's farm and that was the last throw. His father saw her and then, BANG!"

"How about you?" She asked softly, searching his face with those soulful dark eyes. "How did you survived all this while?"

" When I was preparing a burial ground for Sara, Melynlas came to me. Don't ask me from where. She just happened to be standing right there behind me. She told me she was one of the members of the Illusion tribe and possessed ability to bring back life. Ridiculous right? She told me that she was willing to help me get my sister back if I help her find a suitable body for her sister. Being so fed up with life, I just agreed. We live together for a while. 

Her house was filled with talismans all shape and sizes and in the middle, her living room, had a large drawing of a pentagram on the floor. Her praying mat, I guess. Sometimes, when she goes out to do the shopping, I would sit alone in the living room and read all the weird craps in the library. At times, I sense that someone is watching me, but when I look around, nothing. We set up a few plans until one day we found this school in the ad. Then she made up a whole new plan, she wants to take over this city. I think she was going nuts, but Sara's lifeless body in the freezer in her home made lab in her basement assured me that she keep her promise." He answered. 

"Funny, I did remember the twins Nii experimented, but, I didn't recall them to be both girls. If my brain hadn't lost its memory, both of them are a boy and a girl." Lirin told him.

"How was I supposed to know she had some other bizarre plans set aside…" He stopped talking suddenly when he saw another kid running towards them.

"Lirin!" Goku called out, ignoring David, who was sitting beside her. "Are you alright?" He asked when he saw what was left of the cut on her forehead.

Lirin didn't answer back but tugged both David and Goku's hands. "Come on. We must hurry up get Sanzo-sama and the rest. We have a town to save!"

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End of chapter…


	10. The Other

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Hello everybody! I'm so, so sorry that I have updated this chapter late. I was kind of busy because I just ended my monthly exams. So hard! Anyway, thank you for those reviews. I didn't actually mean to make you guys headache or leave any potholes, but I just can't leave behind any details. See, now I'm wasting your time, ha, ha, ha…; Okay, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! 

Chapter Nine

Thick dark clouds in the sky hindered the sun's light from entering the earth's gravel. The cities and small towns in the north, south, east and west gates were empty and desolated. Everywhere was silent, except for howling from the wolves that came out from the forest to feast on leftovers.

Kougaiji circled the town square again. This was the fifth time. The youkai prince stayed close to his dragon as he entered every locked and unlocked building, but unfortunately, he just couldn't find any sign of human or demon. Exhausted, he found a small fountain by the churchyard and decided to take a rest.

After a while, he spotted Dokugakuji from the other side from the town and signaled him. "Found anything?" He asked.

Dokugakuji shook his head. "I can't even see any living soul. I wonder what's going on," He frowned but then smiled. "Maybe they have all gone to a party on the other side of the world."

The red-haired demon grinned and folded the East gate's map neatly and placed it inside his pocket. He rubbed Hiryu's forehead gently when a smelled something. There's something wrong with the air scent, he told himself. He sniffed and followed the scent trail. The scent led them to a large tulip field. 

"What is it?" The Dokugakuji asked.

"I'm not sure, but there's someone or something hiding among this flowers," Kougaiji said as he pulled his scarf, and sneezed non-stop for a few seconds.

Dokugakuji laughed from among the flowers. "You sure are allergic to beautiful things."

"I hate flowers," The youkai prince confirmed. 

Suddenly, they heard a soft rustle among the bushes not far from where they stood. Without any hesitation, Kougaiji sprang forward towards the bushes. "Get that kid!" He shouted over to his friend as the child ran passed him. 

The small girl ran through the field and fence and jumped from rooftop to rooftop. She looked back and increased her speed when she realized the prince was catching up. Suddenly, she accidentally stepped on a few loose tiles and tripped. Apparently, Dokugakuji managed to catch her just before she crashed down to the ground.

The girl struggled to release herself from the man's grip but failed. She had drained out all her remaining energy during the chase. "Let me go…!" She whined.

Dokugakuji loosen his grip a little. 

"You, young girl have some explaining to do," Kougaiji said, walking towards them. But then, Kougaiji noticed a that her pale silver eyes were gleaming with terror. "What the…" He spun around but it was too late. A strong force sent him flying through air and smashed him into one of the dark gray walls. Blood trickled down his cheek.

"Kou!" The swordsman shouted. He wanted to save his prince but unfortunately he was surrounded by a group of weird looking creatures. The girl shrieked and hid herself behind him. Dokugakuji drew out his sword. He dashed towards them and began slashing and punching. Blood spilled everywhere, as if this was a battleground for the eighteenth century war.

"Don't kill them…" She pleaded just as he was about to cut the creature underneath his foot into half. 

"Excuse me?"

"Don't. They're the townspeople…" She cried.

He looked at her, at the creature, back at her again and smiled. He released the creature and grabbed the girl by her elbow. "Well, if we can't kill them, might as well we get the hell out of this place first,' He told her, as they made their way passed the increasing numbers of what looks like deformed wolves and hyenas, which stood tall on two feet.

"So," Goku said, his hands never stop pushing nachos into his mouth," What's your plan?"

Lirin glared at him and snatched the bag. "Stop eating already. You're supposed to be helping me with the plan." She threw the bag into the wastepaper basket and walk right towards the small bed where Gojyo was lying. 

She looked at him. "Sleeping like a baby," she murmured. The three of them had reached the room just in time to tell Sanzo the coming critical situation on the first floor. Hoping for a great answer, the three of them received an order from Yaone to watch over Gojyo as the others run down to solve the problem. Lirin kneeled beside the bed. "Come on," She prayed. "Please get up. I don't want to stay in here babysitting while the others are fighting downstairs."

David backed away from the window and sighed. The guilt in him was increasing by seconds. It's my fault, his head screamed. I shouldn't have trusted her in the first place. He turned his attention to the red-haired girl behind him. Right, there's no time for regrets. Maybe, maybe we could all shape-shift into someone else. "Hey…" He called out softly.

Lirin wiped her tears and stared at him. "What is it?"

Goku pulled another bag of chips from the refrigerator and sat down on the bed beside Gojyo. "Tasty!"

David walked towards them and took Lirin and Goku's hands. " I have a plan, but you two have to trust me on this."

"What about you plan?" Goku asked.

"We have to get out of here unrecognized. So, I want to try to arrange the molecules in your body, so that you can be someone else," He told them. "In short, shape-shift."

"GaK?!" Goku choked hearing the plan.

"What are saying?" Lirin asked surprised.

"Look," He showed them the window. "Out there, is a bunch of kids but, their mind have already been controlled. Plus, I am supposed to kill you right? Which means, you're supposed to be dead." He took a deep breath and continued," You have to change into someone else." 

Lirin crossed her hands. "Easier said than done. Are you really sure about your idea? Because, I don't want to end up as a dead kid in someone else's body."

"That, I'm not sure," He confessed quietly. "But then, I've learned this subject in Miss Yaone's class…"

"What? Shape-shifting?" Goku cut through.

"Nope. DNA molecules, I've learned them already. She said that there are time limits for shape-shifting operation. More that that, you'll definitely get stuck in that body." He sniffed. "Human DNA's are so… weak."

"So?" Goku said. "What are you waiting for?" He hoped away from the bed and stood beside David. Shape-shifting. That was the first time he heard that word and for him, that sounds exciting. Plus, he can't wait to try to be in Hakkai, or better still, in Sanzo's body. Maybe he could even try smoking and act like the monk. Hey, it's once in a lifetime opportunity.

David smiled. Well, he sure showed a little interest. Slowly, he placed both his hands on Goku's forehead as he began concentrating.

Lirin watched in amazement as gray clouds began forming around Goku and David. "Yo, what are you planning to change him into?"

"I have no idea!"

"Will he be alright?"

Dokugakuji backed away from the injured prince in front of him. Kougaiji has been unconscious for the past two hours. The impact on his head was really hard and it will be a miracle if he wakes up within the next three hours. The swordsman has done a great job in finding a good hiding spot as the city was amazingly beginning to be filled with the cursed humans. He kept the bandage into the small pouch hanged on Hiryu's back.

"He's hurt badly, isn't he?" The small girl asked again.

Dokugakuji shook his head. "Not really. All he needs is some rest, that's all." He told her. 

She doubted but kept silence. She walked slowly to the cave entrance and studied the surroundings. Her stomach was growling with hunger but she forced herself to stay quiet. She didn't want to create anymore problem. Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched the man observing his friend's condition. Suddenly, she felt her fangs slid down. She panicked. Hunger! She couldn't control any longer. She has to find something to eat or else…

"Hey!" A hand gripped her shoulder hard.

Surprised, she backed off a little and accidentally tripped over a rock and fell butt first on the gravel. Dokugakuji chuckled and pulled her up. "Hey, would you mind looking after him for a while? I'm going out to get some dinner."

"B…but…" Before she could finish her sentences, the man was already half way into the woods. She sighed and slumped herself by the cave entrance. I hope he returns fast, she grumbled. Her eyes never stopped roaming the cave. Somehow, this place seemed familiar, in a way. 

She watched Kougaiji sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning on the hard floor of the cave. Her heart ached to taste the raw meat in front of her. Out of the silence, she could hear his heart beating. The girl forced herself to stay calm and tried not to move a muscle or even move closer to him. She moved back a little, trying to keep a distance. 

Suddenly she spotted small rats scampering at the corner of the cave. Gross, but desperate, the silvered-hair girl reached out her hands and scooped up the rat. She held it close. Kougaiji's heartbeat was forgotten and in its place was the small frantic heartbeats of a rodent. Its heartbeat felt her with such hunger.

All she felt was hunger.

All she saw was food. 

She bared her teeth.

She lowered her lips and delicately pierced a small hole through the rodent's neck. The warm flow of the blood, which entered down her throat, seemed to soothe her hunger.

"Having a little dinner on your own, ne?"

She gasped and threw the lifeless rat behind her. When did he enter, she wondered. She rubbed the blood off her face and turned around, seeing the tall swordsman leaning on one of the cave pillars. On his left hand was a large lifeless wolf with its neck slit opened. "Sorry. I was starving," She explained as she walked towards him.

Dokugakuji smiled and handed her a bundle of firewood. " Make us some fire, while I get this creature done," He said. 

"Okay," She said reluctantly.

"I really salute you," A voice came from behind her.

"Mister, you're up already?" She asked surprised.

Kougaiji snickered and chanted out fire to the stack of woods. "You're a good eater."

Her eyes widened. How did he know? He was supposed to be unconscious.

"I'm not really sleeping, you know," He told her as if reading her thoughts. "Tell me your name and where do you come from. You look like someone I know. Anyway, I'm not in a mood to start a conversation without knowing their name."

She sat cross-legged on the gravel. "My name is Melynlas and…"

"Hold it!" He snapped. "What did you say your name was?"

"Melynlas," She repeated.

Kougaiji sprang up to his feet. His eyes never left hers. The girl in front of him seemed to stir up his memories. Her name, there was something about her name. "Tell me, do you have a brother or sister?" He asked her.

The girl became even more bewildered. "I…" Her voice choked. She sensed a defensive and angry aura from the tall tanned man in front of her and somehow, in case she said something wrong, she was afraid that he would explode. 

"Hey, I'm asking you a question," Kougaiji sighed and continued, "If you don't have any brother, you could have just said no. That's probably better that making me wait." He got up and walked out of the cave slowly. I need some air. Maybe I'm just imagining things, he thought and smiled to himself. Well Lirin, after I find the perfect treasure for you, I'll get a vacation. Get a dragon to the east. Maybe to a five class hotel….

"Wait!" Melynlas blurted. Her voice shattered his thoughts. "I have…"

Kougaiji turned his back to her. "What?"

Silence.

"Don't keep me waiting."

"I have a brother and his name is…his name is Melyngar."

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End of chapter… 


	11. Utter Silence

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Yup, chapter ten is here! Suddenly, I'm having so much fun writing this story. Who knew, writing can be so much exiting, ha…ha…ha… I know that I've been making giving headache to you guys, but hey, it just adds up the suspense. ^-^;

So, enjoy this one, too!

Chapter Ten

"Excuse me?" Kougaiji frowned. "You have a twin?"

The girl nodded. "Please, did you come across anyone that looks like me on your way here…he…"

"I don't think so," The youkai prince answered straight.

"Hey," The swordsman suddenly cut through from behind both of them. "Kou-sama, remember that tall pale kid at Lirin's school that day?"

Kougaiji frowned. "Yeah. Why?"

Dokugakuji whistled.

The prince stared at him in disbelief, "…You don't mean…. But that's a she for crying out loud. Don't tell me her brother loves to dress like a woman, …does he?"

The girl grasped the red ruby pendant that hung on her neck and gasped. "It's almost midnight. We have to stop him before it's too late… Please, bring me to that school," She begged.

Silence.

"Please…"

"The dragon is unoccupied." Dokugakuji smiled as the dragon beside him snorted. "How about an escorting job for a change?" He asked the prince. "We don't want a beautiful lady like her get lost, do we?"

Kougaiji sighed. "Doku, you are beginning to sound like your brother," Kougaiji said and looked back at the girl. "You, why is your brother is such a hazard to you?" He asked, still puzzled.

Melynlas climbed the dragon's back followed by the swordsman. She pushed her long strand of silver hair off her face revealing a pair of cold dark eyes full of hatred and revenge, as she stared at the red-haired man in front Hiryu. "Not me, but maybe all the humans in this city and on this planet…"

"Wai! You owe me an explanation!" Kougaiji shouted just as the dragon took off. 

The prince eyed the dragon until it disappeared into the thick gray clouds above. 

Hmph, I guess I have to get myself another dragon then, since he brought her on my one and only mode of transportation, the young prince sniffed, when he realized that he was all alone in the middle of the forest. He looked around and grumbled. Where in the world am I going to get a dragon in the middle of nowhere?!

"Bang!"

Gunshot rocked the night. Bullets slammed into the stone walls of the almost a century year old building, chipping off bits of stone and dusting the whole place up. Hakkai threw up a force field between them and the disintegrating outcropping, a concave bowl of shimmering green energy blocked the bits of stones while casting uncanny emerald radiance through the half-destroyed hallway. "Sanzo…"

Sanzo stopped shooting for a while and looked at him. "What?"

"Anou… you're going to kill someone if you don't control your anger…" Hakkai said, reminding his friend that life is a valuable asset. He knew how trigger-happy the monk could be once he lost his temper.

The blonde monk laughed and pointed his gun towards the incoming pack of wolves in front of them.

Yaone sighed. Looks like another hour of ear-piercing sounds. She ducked and puts her hands up, covering her ears. "Hakkai-san," She called out. "I think you should cover yours, too. We might get deaf."

"Get ready!" Sanzo warned them. He placed his hands on top of his sutra and closed his eyes. This was going to take careful timing.

"Get ready?" Hakkai echoed in confusion. The lambent glow of the force field cast greenish shadows upon his face, making him look even more closer to a real demon than a human. "Ready for what?"

"PURIFY THE EVIL!" Sanzo shouted on top of his voice. The sutra, which was always draped on his shoulders began coiling and uncoiling, moving at an amazing speed, towards the pack. Within seconds, the carnivores were shredded into small pieces.

"Gross…" Yaone muttered, removing a few flesh strands off her light purple hair.

"Take that, smarty pants!" The monk fell back and laughed hysterically. He had never enjoyed killing that much in his entire life.

Hakkai rubbed his aching palms on his pants. He was glad, a little. Well, at least it wasn't him doing the killing. However, this wasn't the perfect time to rest. They had to find the mastermind behind this bizarre situation before it gets worst. He inspected the dead remains. 

Judging from their scent and behavior, he concluded that, they were controlled by some one, who is skilled in controlling minds. He posed for a while. Could that someone also have done something to Gojyo, he wondered.

"Incoming!" Yaone announced, pulling Hakkai back between the cracked walls. Seconds later, more gunshots were heard. 

Blam! The pistol flared, and Hakkai didn't look away in time as the gunshot blew away the top of the wolves' heads, splashing the already stained walls with an explosion of blood and brain. But then, the green-eyed man sensed something and quickly spun around. "Show yourself!" He ordered as his hands were getting ready to create another green barrier.

"Hold it!" The small blue hair girl with a dog in front of them shrieked just after one of Yaone's small explosives missed her head by a few inches.

"What are you doing here little girl? It's dangerous in here," Hakkai said softly as he made his way towards the girl.

"Watch it mister," She answered quickly and giggled.

"What is so funny?" 

The girl shook her head. "Yup, I guess this shape-shifting thing does work, ne Goku?"

"Goku?" Yaone repeated surprised.

"Woof! Damn, Wait till I get back to my original form. I'll get that kid for good!" The dog, which is now known as Goku growled. _(I know, he should be a monkey, but then…)_

"Huh? A talking dog…" The purple hair girl wondered and picked up the dog from Lirin's arm. She studied it and chuckled and pinched the dog's sort of cheek. "So CUTE!!!"

"Awwwww!" Goku yelped. Painful, painful, painful… 

"There's no time to rest!" Sanzo shouted as he ran passed them. Following after him were a pack of gray wolves and groups of decomposing zombies. But then, he immediately came to a stop in front of a tall man. Sanzo's eyes opened wide when he realized who the man was. "Whoa, Gojyo? I thought you are supposed to be in bed?! "

"Wait a minute!" David cried out as he shielded himself from Sanzo's shots. He didn't even have time to explain the situation. He's such a hot-tempered man, he screamed inside his head.

"Die bastard! Die imposter!" The blonde monk was in rage. His finger never stopped pressing the trigger. 

"W…Wait a minute…"

Jezebel had cornered a tall blonde boy in what appeared to be a dead end. She had received direct order from her boss to eliminate whosoever who tries to escape from the premise and the boy in front of her was not an exception. He was tall and far much larger that her, but it was not a big problem. Besides, her dagger was still hungry for blood.

A flickering white neon light, shining over the back entrance of the dead end to the right, cast a pale glow over the tense confrontation, which had the boy pressed up against the wall looking scared to death. "Hold it Jez…!" He pleaded. "Don't do anything crazy…" 

Jezebel loomed in front of the boy, her ghostly pale face only inches from her accomplice's, the end of the sharpened blade pressed up beneath the boy's chin. "Shhh…" She whispered into his ears. "Don't make things hard for the both of us, alright."

"I just wanted to get out of here," The blonde boy stammered. " You guys are weird and I don't intend to get involved with you and your… whoever she is…" He squirmed against the unyielding brick wall when he suddenly realized that another tall woman was standing behind her.

"Lovely." The girl sneered. "Get him done and we'll go outside thirty minutes from now for the final preparation."

Jezebel nodded and jabbed the boy with her blade, forcing his chin up. "Sorry Brad, no time to chat," She said craftily. The girl nodded again, thinking it over. "Right, no time to chat. You're a security leak and needs plugging up."

"I…I…Wait…" Comprehension heightened the panic in his eyes. "No, wait, I…"

Shink! The cold sharp blade stabbed him right through his chest sending blood spraying out like a water jet. She watched expressionless as the boy crumbled to the ground. Assuming that she already took the living daylights from him, she smiled triumphantly and walked out of the building 

The boy lay bleeding where he fell, unable to move at all. Jezebel's blade has cut his spine, he realized after stabbing him. He couldn't feel anything at all below his shoulders, which was probably a mercy of sort. He felt dizzy and cold, light-headed even. Goodbye world, he thought. He knew he was going to die. He knew now that it was a mistake to fall in love with a demon, even though they were related to humans. However, it was too late to regret that, too.

Gojyo groaned, as he painfully forced open his eyes. He blinked a few times before finally began to focus on the red neon light in the room. What happened? He wondered. It was as if he had been sleeping for almost a year. He looked around and shrieked.

Goku barked behind Hakuryu. Yay, finally the perverted water monster awakes! He was glad and jumped of the chair onto the man's laps.

Gojyo smiled and patted his head.

"Gojyo-san, you're awake," Hakkai said as he entered the room. "Yaone's herbs sure was a success."

The red-haired demon grinned and stood up. His back felt numb. Must have been caused by oversleeping, he concluded. However, he pulled out his scythe from under the bed. "Tell me. Since when do you love to keep pets?" He asked when he realized that the creature that he patted earlier was a dog and not Hakuryu. 

Goku barked. I am not anybody's pet!

"Funny," Gojyo said as he leaned closer to the dog. "You do eyes like Goku and I do like your golden headband."

Lirin quickly grabbed Goku from the floor before Gojyo step on his tail. "Na Gojyo-san, if you're sure that you're already fit to move, can we go now? David might be in danger already."

"David?" He repeated looking surprised. "What about him? Who are you?"

"I am a pretty maiden from a distant planet and I come in peace," Lirin declared boastfully without realizing that she was standing on the chair.

"Excuse me?"

She chuckled. "It's a pity uncle. Too bad, I'm not going to tell you."

"He's taking you're place. You are supposed to be there now, if he didn't insist to replace you," Hakkai said, cutting through their conversation, from beyond the curtains. He was watching tensely at the crowd of mutated creatures gathering in the institution's garden. At one corner, he spotted a red-haired man struggling to release himself from what looks like thick chains with thorns. "Cannibals…" He muttered and looked at his watch. They had an hour and twenty minutes left before midnight.

The walls came down and disintegrating into nothingness, as Melynlas slipped into Brad's unresisting mind. She realized that this was no ordinary dream, the colors were distorted and strange, gray and monochromatic in some places, while luridly bright and garishly elsewhere. Shapes and angles were stretched and pulled out of proportion.

It took he a while to get her bearings, then she found herself standing outside in a large meadow field. Talk about weird visions before death. Then suddenly, she was back in the school. The hallway was dark and gloomy. The walls were mixtures of black and white, like old-time movie, but fluorescent bright blue light that came from somewhere gave her enough light to see by.

A feeble moan caught her ears, and she looked down to see Brad lying at her feet, a gaping wound in his chest. The injured boy was black and white, too, but his blood was colored. Neon-red fluid pooled beneath the boy's body and leaked from the corner of his mouth.

She bent down and gently rested his head on her lap. She was aware of the rhythmic throbbing noise and instinctively knew had to be Brad's own failing heartbeat, which seemed to grow slower and fainter by the second.

"Brad?" She whispered. The dying boy's eyelids flickered momentarily, but that was all. All around her, the fading pulse ticked away towards its inevitable cessation. She had to hurry. Once the pulse stops, there was no way she could generate enough energy to revive him as well as healing his wound. She intended to save as many victims of her brother's cruelty as possible. It was a choice and not an option. "Please open you eyes, you have to see me…" She murmured. 

She brushed his hair off his face and called out his name again. At first, there was no response and she feared that she was too late. But then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw ebony shadows creeping in on them from every corner of the hallway, threatening to extinguish Brad's last spark of life. She could barely hear his faltering heartbeat anymore.

His eyes opened, making contact with hers. "Mel…?"

She quickly dived into his deep purple orbs, the portal to his soul. She disappeared and reappeared among the maze-like portal. Where is your soul? While wondering around, she noticed something from beyond the ledge of the portal. It was part of his lost emotions and memories and behind it, was his fading soul. She quickly pushed herself through the darkened soul. The deemed lights closed in perilously, obscuring her views, but had managed to do her part. Yes! She thought ecstatically, swimming back towards the rapidly shrinking lights.

"Be strong…" She whispered just before she forced herself up…

…Dokugakuji was there right where she'd left him, watching over Brad and her all the time. He took her hand and helped her up. "Will he be alright?" He asked gently. Somehow, he was amazed at the effort of the little demon in front of him to save lives, even though they were different species. So far, the boy next to her was the fifteenth victim. How many more can she heal, he wondered.

Melynlas' eyes kept glued to the floor. "He's going to make it… if he still has the will to live," She said and pushed the boy's textbook beside him. She offered him a prayer and look at Dokugakuji with determination in her eyes. "Mister," She said. " I swear, I will get Melyngar to pay for what he did."

The swordsman smiled. "He will. Trust me, you're not the only one that is worried." He said and continued. "I have to find my princess, too…"

"Blam!"

The sound of gunshot pause Dokugakuji's words. Both of them turned to see a bloody exhausted monk standing right behind them. "You're hurt," Melynlas gasped as she moved towards him. 

"Don't move of I'll shoot!" He ordered furiously.

She stopped, confused. Why was he so angry?

Sanzo aimed the gun straight at her head. "You," He sneered. "Finally, I found you."

Melynlas panicked. "No, wait, it's not me you're looking for!"

"Shut up!" He spat.

Dokugakuji smacked his head. "Sanzo-sama, she's not the one you're looking for," He said. Apparently, it was useless. It only added the anger in the monk's head. 

The blonde man pulled the trigger. "It's time to end the game, kid!"

"Stop!" The swordsman shouted trying to push the monk's hand aside. But it was too late. Melynlas stared hopelessly as the bullet zoom through her chest, barely missing her heart. She placed her hands hard where the wound was. Then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw, right behind the monk and the swordsman, smiling victoriously, was a mirror image of herself, her brother…

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_End of chapter…_


	12. To Live

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I am so sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I truly didn't meant to. My computer was sent to the workshop for upgrading and I was offline for the rest of two weeks. So sorry ^-^; Anyway, thank you for you support. I know, I love dogs, too. And about Zeon, he'll be there, but not in the mean time. He has to report his duties to Master Homura, I think. Ha…ha…ha… 

So, please do sit back enjoy this chapter from me, miaw! 

Chapter Eleven

Sanzo gasped. He slowly lowered down his gun and guilt was written all over his face. He watched in horror as blood began pooling around the girl as she forced herself to lean against the wall for support. "What have I done?!" He murmured.

"She doesn't die easily with three bullets through her. Maybe you should pump in four more," Melyngar interrupted from behind, deliberately mocking the monk. "I can't thank you enough for helping me enlighten my burden…"

"Shut up!" The monk exploded. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" His screams slowly disappeared, blending with the sound of his shooting. However, none of his aims hit his target.

Melyngar laughed behind his glowing barrier. "You know what, you people are so… pathetic." He shoved passed Dokugakuji towards his sister. He floated around her before roughly pulling her closer to him. "My darling 'sister', it has been a long time!" He said, holding her tightly in his arms.

"N… No," Melynlas choked as she tried to tear herself away from him. "Stop, you're hurting me! Why are you doing this?"

The demon shook his head. His long hair swayed around his face. "No reason. I guess, for fun and revenge." His rolled his eyes to the left at where Sanzo and Dokugakuji stood. He sneered at them and then turned his attention back to his sister. "How could you even think of asking help from the same person who almost destroyed our life?"

"He is not the same…" She protested weakly. "If you have heart, you could have tell the difference between these people and those who have used us!"

Melyngar sighed. "Enough chats. Let's go have a feast!" he said happily and vanished together with his sister just as Dokugakuji tried to snatch the girl away from him. "You're all invited to our party tonight… that's if you're still alive!" Melyngar's laughter echoed through the long dark hallway. A few seconds later, Sanzo and Dokugakuji were surrounded by thousands of mindless zombies.

"Die!" Lirin shouted as she lurched towards another pack of gray wolves. Even though she was in a body of a small elementary school girl, thankfully, she still had her demon strength with her. "Goku, do you think they're actually multiplying?" She asked, just as a large brown dog stopped in front of her.

Goku planted his sharp fangs into the wolf's right leg, completely ignoring the girl's question. He was enjoying himself, especially the chocolate cookies Gojyo gave him every time he finished off an amount of enemies.

"Goku!" Lirin repeated angrily.

"What?!" He growled back.

"I'm asking you a question."

"I don't know. Besides, I'm enjoying myself. Why don't you, too," He suggested.

Lirin pouted her lips and left him. She hurried down the steep stairs at the end of the passage, followed by the rest of the group. She realized that almost half of the building had collapsed when she noticed that there were many broken planks scattered on the second floor, the moment she entered it. The damage done earlier has completely created a large hole on the structures building.

One more last stairs, she thought as she ran through another long passage. Suddenly, without warning, Lirin felt herself being pushed hard to the side. Her body felt numb for a while. She could hear Goku barking not far from her but the mist that had came from nowhere had made her visions a little blur. "Goku!" She called out as she tried to move away from her side.

"Hold on," A voice came from behind.

"Yaone-chan…" The girl rubbed her eyes. The mist was blinding her. "Yaone-chan, where's everybody?"

"Thank goodness that was only an plank," She said. Yaone pulled the girl up and moved back to the center of the passage. "Hakkai and Goku are just ahead of us. Gojyo is taking the short cut."

Finally, when the four of them reached the last stairs, they came to a sudden stop. Something is not right, Lirin though. This is too easy. There weren't many monsters back then. 

"On guard!" Hakkai said. He walked slowly to the front. Suddenly, the narrow veranda began to glow. Hakkai tried to step back but couldn't. He felt as if his legs were forcing him to go on.

Yaone followed close to him. She was shocked and amazed at the same time. The floors and walls leading to the stairs ware scribbled with ancient looking writing which illuminate neon red. She tried to study the writings, but from far, it looked blurry.

Feeling a little curious also, the girl walked close to the side and traced the glowing writing along the walls with her finger. It felt a little warm and moist. Lirin shined her torchlight on the wall and shrieked.

"What is it?!" Hakkai jumped in surprised.

"Yuck! These writtings are written with blood. Fresh blood."

"Huh?"

By now, Lirin's mind was spinning. Whose blood did they use? Was it the wolf's one? Those zombies? Other animals? Or… Lirin shook her head. "No!" She screamed in her head. It couldn't be David's. Not so soon.

"Are you alright?" Yaone asked, when she realized that the small girl in front of her was trembling.

"It couldn't be his…"

"It is."

The three of them spun around and saw Jezebel standing a few meters away from the stairs.

"You!" Lirin screech angrily and tried to move closer towards her. But then, she stopped and realized that, all the three of them had stepped into another of that demon's trap. The blood, which seemed to glow, was actually used to highlight the pentagram drawing on the floor as well as on the walls and ceilings. They cannot move as long as they are in the drawing. "When did you set this?!"

"Long, long time ago," She smirked and smile as she lowered her daggers. " Do you think I was stupid to fall into you and your stupid friend's trick?"

Lirin gasped. "You knew? How?"

Jezebel laughed. "Your trick was child's play. Everyone could see through such pathetic disguise," She said, twirling her fingers between Lirin's fake blue hair. "You are a demon, you are supposed to know that a demon has a good sense of smell."

"C…Can't breath…" 

"Let her go!" Goku barked from behind the both of them. Apparently, he was the only one who managed to find the other way round the pentagram. He charged and dug his fangs into the demon's arm. "No one messes with my girl!"

Jezebel whirled around, pushing and slapping the dog from her arm. "Get off me, you mad dog!" She shrieked and pulled out her dagger with her other hand.

"Goku, watch out!" Hakkai shouted. But it was too late. Goku yelped in pain as the sharp blade went through his body. Soon, he was forced to let go of her arm. He tried to move his legs but couldn't.

Realizing that she had managed to make him weak, Jezebel grinned and took him by the collar. "What should I do with low-lives?" She asked, shoving the dog's face closer to Lirin's.

Goku yelped. This is not good, he thought when the girl moved towards the large window beside the stairs. He bent his head down a little and began to shiver. There, right underneath him, were long poles with sharpened ends. He couldn't even count the dead bodies sticking on some of the poles. He prayed hard that she would change her mind and do something else to him. Much better than getting holes through your body, his mind shrieked.

"Bye bye!"

What the…

"NOO!" Lirin cried out as Goku's howling slowly disappeared down the building. 

Gojyo tiptoed towards a large barred door at the ground floor. He knew that behind the door is the school's garden of chemical. A place where all poisonous and toxic chemicals are kept and experiments are done, apart from cloning and creating new plants. You can't be too relaxed in this kind of place, he thought. He pressed his ears on the door to hear any sound from the opposite side. 

At first there wasn't any sound, but then, after a while, he heard a soft moan. Slowly, he turned the door's knob. Odd, he wondered. Why didn't they lock the door if there's a hostage in there?

"Don't come in." The voice from the other side hissed angrily.

Gojyo jumped up in surprised. "Who are you?"

Silence.

"Hey!"

"Please, Just don't come in," the voice from the other side pleaded again. Unfortunately, so overcome with curiosity, Gojyo ignored his plead and barged in. "Whoa!" He jumped in surprised.

There, right in front of him, was the large round garden, he used to know, but with a little modification. They were more plants than usual, and each four pillars at the corners of the garden ware heavily scribbled with weird paintings and drawings. Connecting these four pillars were strands of what looked like intestines. They hung slimily from the ceiling to the ground. Gojyo pressed his hands upon his nose. This is absolutely gross and gross, he grinned. 

Taking small steps at a time, trying to avoid the sharp plants around him, he made his way to the center of the garden. After a while, a large green structure greeted him at the center. At the bottom of the structure, he noticed bright red liquid flowing out of it into small-carved lanes, which seemed to be circling the place around him. He moved closer towards it.

"Why!" The structure boomed.

Gojyo jumped back in surprised. "Hey, take it easy, man," He laughed. But then, he felt something sharp clawing down his feet. He looked down and gasped. His eyes rolled around the garden. Now then he realized that the plants in the garden were all shaped like humans. "What is going on here?"

"Why didn't you listen to me?!" The structure repeated again. "Why? Why? You are wasting the time I gave you, you know that!"

"What?" The red-haired man questioned. He studied the tall green thing in front of him and frowned. "David? David, is that you?"

Goku groaned. He felt like every parts of his body were ripped apart. He took a deep breath and tried to push himself up. His head was throbbing with pain. As far as he could remember, he could not recall seeing anyone that heartless in his entire life. He rubbed his forehead and pushed his brownish hair back. He looked around.

Somehow, he was outside the building. Finally, he thought. The pale blue moonlight was a great help as it shone over the school signboard. Well, at least, I'm still in the school compound. Suddenly, he felt his head throbbing with an even more excruciating pain. He crouched down and squeezed his head between his hands. He could feel as if every part of him was cracking up again. What's going on, he shrieked silently as he watched his hands began to grow crooked. His fingernails became pointed and sharp and he could feel his fangs slid down from his gums.

"This is…!" He screamed. "This is not happening!" He felt his body heating up and his heartbeat was pumping even faster that usual.

Then suddenly, everything was silent again. 

There, standing on the same spot but with eyes full of anguish and hunger, was the other side of Goku, Seiten Taisen. 

"Did you hear anything?" Hakkai asked.

Yaone shook her head. Right now she was busy figuring out how to break down the spell set on them. They had been standing at the same spot for almost an hour and her legs were killing her. However, she couldn't struggle a lot as Jezebel was standing right opposite her beside Lirin. 

Poor Lirin, she thought. It must be hard on her to lose a friend that fast. That boy didn't even have the time to say goodbye and what's with her, she wondered, looking at Jezebel. She had watched the pale-skinned demon non-stop sharpening her blades in front of the princess. Did she really mean to kill all of them? Yaone fiddled with her explosive balls inside her pocket. If only she was a little away from the girl, at least she could blind her for a while with her blinding explosion. But, did she read her mind, too?

Suddenly, the large window behind them shattered.

Lirin gasped.

From the shattered window, Goku leaped furiously in.

Jezebel stared at the boy in disbelief. "I Thought I've killed you!" She said and sprang up into defensive position.

The moment Jezebel moved away from where Lirin and Yaone stood, Goku acted. Launching himself across the space that divided them, he hit the demon with a strong force, bringing them both crashing to the ground. Giving full vent to a fury that knew no bounds, he smashed his fist again and again into the pale girl's body. The demon in the boy, his hidden inner ability, gave him an almost manic strength.

But after the first shock of attack, Jezebel reacted swiftly. Driven by a violent rage at the intruder who had robbed her quiet moment with her 'rats'. The girl drove a swift blow into her attacker stomach. Winded, Goku momentarily slackened his grip. It was the chance Jezebel needed.

She rolled away and moved into her pentagram. This was an advantage to her. As long as she was in there, Goku could not make contact with her. She watched the boy's angry movement behind Lirin. She could sense his sudden increase of power. She knew that the boy in front of her was not the same person a while ago. He looks so hungry, she thought.

Goku paced back and forth the pentagram. Get out! His mind screamed. His patience was thinning. Sooner or later, he knew that he will explode with extremity and soon, will cause someone he knew, someone he cared, their lives. Goku knew, if this goes on any longer, he could lose his mind and go absolutely berserk.

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End of chapter…


	13. Too Close

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Oh, wow, chapter twelve already! I didn't know that I could write this long. Nevertheless, this would have never happened if you guys didn't support me. Thank you! Anyway, I'm almost towards the end of the Military School, so I hope, you guys will enjoy yourself until the end. Oh yeah, Rook, I'm so sorry that I couldn't write more on Hakkai and Yaone, though I tried to. But, I promise, to have something on them before I end this fic. 

Well, let's continue…enjoy!

Chapter Twelve

"I want him!" The loud demanding voice of the eighteen years old boy was still ringing in her head even though those words were sent to her about thirty minutes ago. Jezebel's breathing was heavy as she struggled furiously to obtain her balance from Goku's blows. The boy had caught her off guard. She was surprised when she realized that the glow of her pentagram had slowly dimmed. Her pentagram had started to defeat its purpose. She knew that someone was messing around with her devices in the garden. Her mind was whirling. There was something else that was bothering her.

She realized now that, the reason that she had never won in a real fight is because she did not have any good reason to fight for. Which means, she had never put up any large effort in anything. What about Melyngar? She wondered. Was he only using her for his own purpose? Or was she the only one who is hoping to get something out of some meaningless war? She focused back on the boy in front of her. The boy in front of her did. She assumed he was fighting for those he cares and loves.

Jezebel staggered back a little. She cried out in pain as her right shoulder, was struck by the boy's sharp claws. Soon, she realized that she had stumbled into a dead end. And now, she was staring up into the dark congested features of Goku's face and feeling his hands tightening like a vice around her neck. The black weight of unconsciousness was descending upon her.

With a last surge of strength, she kicked viciously below the boy's ribs and pulled herself away from him. Unfortunately, he was too fast and apparently she ended up crouching down against the wall, as her hands clutched her stomach where he had just strike. Jezebel watched hopelessly as the boy beat her up. Struggling against excruciating pain, the warm blood flowing down her into her eyes, She tried desperately tried to roll away, but her body failed to respond. Something in her freeze as she waited for the next agonizing blow. 

Gojyo's sweat was pouring down his forehead as he smashed an axe through the tall green plant-like structure in the middle of the garden. There was no way to get David out except by chopping the thick trunk that was slowly swallowing him up starting from his legs. He was surprised as how fast the roots of the plants grew every time he chopped them off. He stopped, took a deep breath and continued.

"Sensei…" David sighed sadly. "Please don't waste your time on me. Go and leave this place before it's too late."

Gojyo smiled and looked at him. "Kid," He said, "There is no way I'm going to leave you. Besides, I don't have time to look for another actor for my drama."

David stared at his teacher with a pair of soulful looking eyes. He wanted to help, but unfortunately his hands were bind by chains from behind. He closed his eyes. If there was anyone else who could help him! He prayed.

Suddenly, the door was smashed open and Sanzo and Dokugakuji came rolling in. Sanzo quickly got up and barred the door back with planks and more broken pieces of woods. "It's about time that red thing disappeared," The monk hissed, as he rubbed the dust of his robe.

Thank goodness! David's mind shouted in relief.

"Red lights?" The red-haired demon repeated. "Oh yeah, I thought I saw some red liquid flowing from her just before I started chopping," He said, pointing towards the already dried small lanes.

"That boy is definitely trying to piss me off, you know!" 

Gojyo chuckled and handed the blonde monk and the swordsman an axe each. "Here," He said. "These roots seemed to be growing back simultaneously as I cut them. Maybe if we all cut different plants at the same time. We might succeed."

"Great idea, genius!" Dokugakuji said and walked towards a smaller plant at the corner of the garden. 

After a while, they're hard work soon came to an amazing success. They had managed to chop through the whole garden. Soon, David felt the roots on his legs were slowly loosing their grips on him and fell apart. He quickly brushed off the dirt stains off his pants and hop to the ground. Even though his feet felt a little sore after hours of standing, he was not bothered. "Thanks!"

"Thank you mister!" Another soft voice sounded from where Sanzo stood. He gave his hand out and helped a small girl out of the tree trunk. "Get out of here, okay," He said to her. The girl thanked him again and ran towards the back door. The monk wiped his sweat off his face with his sleeves as he threw the axe aside. "You know what, that boy is really, really making me mad!"

Dokugakuji sighed and turned towards Gojyo. "Hey," he said, "I just can't think of a good reason why did you choose to follow him on his quest at the first place. How do you actually stand all his whining?"

"Easy, " His stepbrother answered instantly. "You block your ears with rubber seal or pillows will do. That way, I can guarantee that your eardrums won't burst…"

"Urusai!" The monk shouted at the end of the garden room. "I heard that and I suggest you stop or I'll pump six bullets into your brain," He said furiously.

Dokugakuji slapped his stepbrother's back and the both of them laughed silently. David followed them carefully from behind. As eager as he wanted to hear the brothers' conversation, he forced himself to hear any incoming danger. One vine struggling mess was enough for him. He watched as the monk broke through the barred door that blocked the exit of the garden. He arranged his messy hair into place.

Suddenly, he froze in place. There was something wrong with the scent of the large room they had just entered. He quickly turned around.

Lirin pushed herself away from Yaone's caring gentle arms. Her eyes wildly search the hallway for any sign of Goku of Jezebel. I want to find then," She told Hakkai. The green-eyed man looked at her silently. She assumed that he did not agree with her idea. "I have to. I don't want anything to happen to any of them."

Yaone moved in front of her. "Lirin-sama, it's too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt," She advice. 

Apparently, the high spirited girl could not stay there any longer. She smiled at the woman. She said she would save her friend, and she would. She ignored the woman and ran back away from the safety of her trustworthy friends.

"Lirin-sama!" Yaone called out again, but it was useless. Either she didn't hear or she was ignoring her. The purpled-hair demon sighed and slumped her back against the wall beside Hakkai. "What am I going to do… If Kougaiji-sama finds out that I did not take good care of his sister, he'd…"

Hakkai shook her shoulders gently. "Relax, he will understand. He's not that kind of person. I know. "

Yaone looked back at him and wiped her tears. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and held her hand. "Positively sure. He cares for his sister and he cares for his subordinates, too. I can see that in his eyes the last time he waged a fight between him and Goku at the desert months ago." He smiled, "Now, my queen, wipe your tears and let's go and retrieve back our little princess and prince, shall we?"

Goku snarled at the girl in front of him. He forced himself to release his grips on the girl but without success. He could not control his body anymore. I don't want to kill! His mind screamed. 

With a strong force, he slammed the girl repeatedly on the wall. Goku was beginning to feel sick. He couldn't stand the horror, but his eyes won't close, like as if forcing him to witness the revival of a psychopath killer he used to be five hundred years ago.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered silently. "I can't, I just can't control myself…"

"Goku!"

His body jerked up at the voice. Goku turned around. "Go away!" He shouted. But surprise, the girl pushed him aside and stood between him and bloody demon. "What are you doing?!" He shrieked.

Lirin shook her head angrily and raised her arms avoiding his contact with her injured friend. "Da…me… Goku!"

"What are you doing?! Move away before I hurt you too!" The boy cried. To his horror, he felt his body was moving towards her. He was going to hurt her. "No!" He shrieked. He shut his eyes tight as his clawed fingers wrapped around her neck like snakes.

But then, instead of fleeing, Lirin raised her hand and slapped his face. "Wake up, kono baka!" She said furiously. "There is no time to overreact!"

Goku felt his other side snarling. That was the first time someone ever did that to him. He felt Lirin's palm on his cheeks over and over again. You heard the lady! His brain screamed. Wake up!

To his surprise, his hands loosen its grips from her neck. 

Suddenly, he felt light-headed just like before Seiten Taisen awoke. Then, his legs completely gave away and unable to stand his weight any longer, he soon collapsed into Lirin's arms. His condition slowly returned to its original form.

Just then, Hakkai and Yaone reached them. "Are you alright?" The purpled-hair woman asked as she pulled out a long strand of bandage from her bag.

Hakkai turned his attention to then sleeping boy on Lirin's laps. That is odd. How can Goku turn back into his human form without his golden headband? What is this girl's connection with him?

"Hakkai…"

"Hmm?"

"Hakkai, I think he is hungry…" Yaone said pointing a Goku who was fast asleep with Lirin's thumb in his mouth.

Hakkai frowned. "Anou…"

"That's okay," Lirin answered before he could finish his sentences. "I'm fine. But I think Jessy needs some help," She said, pointing at the girl beside her. 

Jezebel made a face as Yaone offered to bind her wound. But Yaone ignored her and pulled her arms closer. "Why…?"

The woman stopped. "Do you know, there are so many things in life apart from fighting? And this is only part of it," She answered briefly, as her hands tied a strong knot at the end of the cloth. "There, is that tight enough?"

Jezebel turned rolled her eyes away from Yaone. She sat sulkily at the corner, and chewed on her lower lips. Until now, she did not understand the meaning of everything that had happen. Was it fate, or was she the only one who is so naive?

"Welcome!" A voice boomed from above. Sanzo and the other three stood on guard. The monk clasped his revolver against his chest. This time, he really meant to kill the boy as well as destroy his existence once and for all. "Come out!" He shouted. His voice echoed through the room. 

"Not so fast, Sanzo-sama. Let us all enjoy this precious moments together!" The voice replied. "A token of my happiness and congratulations to you all who succeed my task!"

Sanzo was loosing his patience and fired a bullet in the air. "Melyngar, I don't have time for games!" 

"No, no games, but lots of fun!"

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End of chapter…


	14. Alone

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Note: Awww! I'm so sorry! Really, really sorry it took me ages to upload this chapter. I was really busy about my drama scripts that I totally ignored my computer. Sorry everyone! I hope this one will soothe you guys out there. I actually meant to finish the story in this chapter, but it seemed that I have a lot to write. This chapter is kind of short. Do I need an epilogue? Anyway, like I usually go, Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen

Sanzo pursed his lips. He was obviously trying his best not to lose his temper in front of the twins, even though he was provoked endlessly by the silvered hair half demon boy. He searched his pocket for his revolver and squeezed it firmly in his hand. He was not going to take any more chances. Any sudden move from the boy, or even the girl for that matter, he will shoot.

Gojyo and his brother stood speechless at the entrance of the hall. "Wow," Gojyo muttered. "That is probably the ugliest thing I had ever seen so far!" His eyes were locked tight on the large brownish black sculpture at the center of the hall. The sculpture looked like a human crossed with demon and angel. The human part was the whole body, the demon part was the red gleaming eyes and its pointed fangs in its mouth, and the angel part was the large black and white wings on its back. The thing stood tall with both its hands raised up towards the sky.

Dokugakuji rested his arm on his brother's shoulder. "You're right," He said. "Anything that ugly should be erased from this world, right?"

Gojyo nodded.

"But, how do we get there?" He walked to the side and back to the entrance. "With pentagram shield that large, the only way to get in is to…"

"Yup, kill me first!" Melyngar said, cutting through the swordsman sentences. He pressed his sister closer to him and smiled. "Unfortunately, if you shoot, you'll have to kill her too. Anyway, firstly, before I begin this most precious ceremony, I would like to thank all of you for taking your time to come and celebrate it with me. Though, you all look so pathetic out there..."

"Urusai you spoiled brat!" Sanzo snapped as he fired his gun. Apparently, as expected, the bullets disintegrated into dust as it crashed into the walls of the shield. "You are being very ridiculous, damn it!" 

"Why do you even care… " Melyngar said softly as his head tilted to the side. His long silver hair fell with it. He moved closer towards the sculpture. He glanced up at the sky through the hole at the ceiling. It was almost midnight. Melyngar fiddled with the clasp of his necklace and placed his ruby stone on the left hand of the sculpture.

Melynlas stared at the red eyes with horror and began struggling. Unfortunately, her wounds have not healed yet and her energy was too low to even push her brother aside. "Let me go!" She pleaded. 

"Give me your stone."

"…What?" Her eyes opened wide in surprised.

"I said, give me your stone," The boy repeated.

The girl held her necklace tightly with her hands. " No, I won't let you use it for evil purpose," She said and continued, "Please stop all this madness. Why are you doing this? Mother will be very upset if…"

Melyngar snarled. He grasped his sister's head back, exposing her throat. He pressed his hand gently on her forehead and sliced the chains into half with his dagger. "My darling sister, mom won't know, if we don't tell and mom won't know, because she's dead. She's dead!"

"How… how could you!"

"What? Say such ill things about mother? Well, I just did. I hated her. All the time. I hate every thing around me. Why are you so naive, sister? Mother has already wiped out the entire illusion species just before she died," Melyngar said softly. "Now, there are only two of us left. Do you think the humans will treat us equally if we show them out real form? We are demons. We will always be different. Even if any one of us dies, it won't even bother them. "

Melynlas was stunned by those words. Was it true? Was everything that he had said true? That she was just a speck of dust in the eyes of others? Her heart suddenly felt heavy. She sank back and watched silently as her brother placed their red rubies on the sculpture's hands.

"No!" David shouted from the opposite side. "You can't give up now. You're not alone. You're not the only demon on the planet. See…" He said and pushed his floppy fringe aside, revealing a pair of sharp pointed ears. "Though I am not of your kind, but I know that you are not alone!"

Gojyo laughed. Seeing David so tensed up so sudden suddenly brought back his memories when he was young. Those were the days when everyone seemed to hate him. Including his one and only mother. Why? It was because of some stupid reason he wished to forget. What in the world was a cursed child? Was it a bad omen that he was brought to this world? "Yup kid," He said finally. "What your brother is half true and a whole lot of lies. My bro and I here are demons. So are Zeon, Hakkai, Yaone, Lirin, Goku and more." Gojyo said and smiled when he saw the girl's bitter smile. 

"What about that angry man over there, then?" She said shakily, pointing her fingers towards Sanzo.

"That? That person is what you call a corrupt human. Only waiting for the perfect time to be dispose."

"Urusai! Do you want to die first!" The monk exploded.

"Goku, Goku, wake up!" Lirin shouted, pushing and slapping the boy's face. Was he really that tired of rather, he's enjoying his time resting while the other's are in trouble.

"Goku!"

"Ittai!" Goku shrieked at last as Lirin's super punch landed on his left cheek. He studied the surroundings and back at Lirin. "Where are the others?

"Gracious. It took me ages to even stir you. What have you been dreaming about, anyway," Lirin sighed and got up from the ground. "Hakkai-san has gone with Yaone-san to fine the rest. Come on, we don't have all night. I sense that we are actually closer to our target then a few hundred meters ago."

"Right, hungry, need food."

"Huh? What?"

Goku shook his head and grabbed Lirin's hand as they hurried down the hallway. True to what Lirin had said, soon they came towards a large boarded door. "What should we do?" He asked.

"I think we should go and get ourselves a cotton candy each," Lirin answered and slapped her forehead. "What else should we do if not break it down." Using her leftover strength, she punched the door open and revealed the room where Sanzo and the rest are. Ignoring the monk, she rolled her eyes over to the center of the room. "Whoa, ugly!"

"Sanzo-sama!" Goku shouted happily from the other end of the room. "Na, Sanzo, I'm hungry…"

"Where's Jezebel?!" Melyngar snapped. "Why didn't she kill you as I told her to!" The boy searched the room for any sign of his follower, but to no avail. "What have you done to her…?"

Lirin hopped from the side towards Sanzo. "You mean that spooky looking girl with black wings and bloody fangs? Oh, she's gone."

"What?!"

Goku smiled at and licked his lips. "Yummy!"

"You… you can't…" He shrieked and hurled a flaming fireball towards the five of them.

"Miss me!" Lirin laughed.

Angry, the silvered hair boy ignored them and walked closer and closer to the sculpture. As he walked, everyone in the room could hear the sound from the school's bell tower. The crackling sound of thunder could also be heard as it started down pouring. "This is not good," Goku murmured. What now? Goku pulled his sleeves up and focused on the raging boy in front of him. He took a quick glance at himself on the large piece of broken glass on the floor. 

Melyngar took a deep breath and chuckled.

"Huh? What's so funny? Do I look stupid if I am serious?"

"Boy…" Melyngar said suddenly in a soft tone. " I know you are cursed, just like me. You are born a demon. But you have lived for five hundred years, a life span, which I cannot reach. You are cursed, yet you can afford to enjoy life. Me? I was born with a curse placed by my own mother because she fears that I will be like other illusion men. I have limited life span. What do you look forward to in life?"

"Who, me?"

Melyngar nodded.

Goku shook his head and looked at all his friends and then back at him. "I… I don't really have anything to ask for, really. Maybe food. I'm really hungry."

"That's one lame answer!" Lirin shouted from behind.

"What?" Goku shouted back and without realizing it, both of them were in a mouth fight, screaming at each other as usual.

"Will you guys cut it out and look!" Gojyo snapped at last. 

"Holy cow…" Goku murmured.

"I have nothing left to lose," Melyngar said as he bend down, revealing a pair of large black wings, which flaps slowly, creating a miniature turbulence. "I can't stand all these happiness anymore."

"Brother…" Melynlas gasped, trying to grab the rubies from her brother's hand. "Brother, what are you doing?!"

"Let go of my arms, sister!"

"No, you will die! You can't stand the extreme pressure this formation produce! It takes two to handle this!"

"Then, answer me, sister!" Melyngar pushed her aside. "Will you follow and help me, or stay with your pitiful friends? Who do you care the most?"

"I will follow none!" She shouted and struggled to her feet. Soon, the both of them began pulling and pushing each other. Melynlas grappled, tugging the rubies from her brother's palms.

"Someone should stop them," Gojyo stated. "But how the hell do we get in there!"

"Everyone, shield!" Hakkai shouted, suddenly appearing from nowhere.

Bright light arose from outside the building windows, blinding everyone in the room, followed by a large red flame. What looked like a large red bird rose out of the flames and began spraying the room with searing heat and intense fire. Lirin shrieked and pulled Goku down beside Sanzo as they all duck for safety. The watched as the fire swallowed the furniture and ornaments in the room.

After a while, the large bird flew around and burned itself among the flames until it turned to ashes and disappeared. 

They watched opened mouth at the center of the room. There was no fire left at it was put out by the heavy rain. Slowly, the red glowing pentagram began fading. Sanzo stepped out from Hakkai's bright green barrier and walked slowly to the center. He saw pieces of broken rubies scattered around him. He took out his gun and held it firmly. The monk made his way across the room towards a black moving shadow. "Stop hiding! It's over, you spoiled brat!" Sanzo spat and paused.

Melyngar stepped out from the dark. "I… guess… my plan didn't work… after all."

"Brother!" Melynlas shrieked from behind the blonde monk, but he stopped her. "Brother…" She whimpered trying to close her eyes, but instead, raised her open hands to her face and scream.

The dark thick smoke behind Melyngar revealed a figure of a woman. As she observed her, she came to realize that she was a horrible remains of a woman. She was dress entirely black, which made her hard to be seen in the shadowy light. 

The woman's face was skeletal, locked in hideous, open-jawed grin. Tiny pockets of green, decaying flesh still clung in the crevices of her skull. She had no face at all. Strands of spidery black hair snaked down from under her hood. 

Melyngar raised his arms to the side as he looked at his sister's face meaningfully. 

"Brother… what is this…"

The skeletal figure rattled as it mover towards Melyngar. It's bony hands outstretched.

" I… have nothing to lose…"

"What… what are you talking about?" Melynlas shrieked in tears. "This should not happen! I sealed grim reaper, before I came here!"

Melyngar smiled. " I release her."

"H… How?"

"Grim reaper has unlimited power, which I need to create my own world… I made a vow to her. If I win, she takes the souls of the dead to feed herself. If I fail… I am so stupid. All I think was about myself. Sister, you are totally opposite of me. You are happy, and I am not. You deserve to live, but I don't, therefore…"

"No… stop!"

"There is so much differences in both of us. Maybe… maybe I'll get to see you in the next life?"

"It is time…!" whispered the woman, the sound that of dry rushing wind. The skeleton moved with surprising agility. It's hands snapped out, and her dry, bony fingers wrapped themselves like snakes around his throat. "Die…"

Melyngar gagged as the woman's fingers tightened around his throat. Her cadaverous arms wrapped around him, smothering him in darkness, choking him with the sour smell of the dead, laughing triumphantly, dry huffs of silent laughter blowing through her open jaws. 

"…No… stop…" Melynlas' voice was shivering now, choked on her own tears as she buried her face into Sanzo's arm.

Melyngar began to see flashes of red, swirls of red, growing brighter and brighter as the skeleton hugged him, choked of his breath, and wrapped itself around him. With the remaining energy, he raised his wings and separated himself from his sister. I don't want to let her see me, he whispered to himself. I want to die, alone, like I always do.

He saw everything around him became dark and cold. For the first time, and also the last, he screamed.

Melynlas covered her hears and shut her eyes.

But, she couldn't shut out her brother's final scream.

When the scream faded, Melynlas opened her eyes. As she stared in openmouthed horror, she watched the creature melted in a glowing malodorous ball of flame, which slowly vanished in a choking cloud of smoke.

Sobbing in terror, still struggling to catch her breath, she stared at the lifeless body of her brother on the floor. Is it the end? Did she actually mean to see her brother in cold blood?

Everything went red.

And then black.

She could hear the sound of gunshot. She could feel herself sinking to the floor, but she couldn't do anything about it. 

__

End of chapter…


	15. Last Day

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Note: Na hah! Thought of completing this, but I'm going to continue it anyway, as requested! (Clap, clap) I'll try to give these last few chapters a happy sort of ending if I could. But, if I don't, well, it's a pity. I'm not really good at giving expressions to others. Sob…

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

Melynlas moaned. She opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes searched the room. How long has she been unconscious? Where is she? Where is her brother?

"Glad, you're awake."

She recognized the voice instantly. "… Kougaiji…" She whispered. Looking around, she forced herself to get out of bed. Unfortunately, she was still too weak. She looked hopelessly at the red haired man in front of her. "I…"

Kougaiji gave her a forceful smile and handed to her a bar of chocolate. "I don't do sweet stuff. Bad, for my health." 

"I…"

"Don't say a word," the man said before she could even start. "I was with you in the forest, and yet, left to look for my own transportation back home!" He said loudly, practically scaring the girl. "And now, I'm stuck in here with you again."

The girl backed away a little. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," She stammered. "I didn't meant to."

Kougaiji looked at her and laughed "Sorry? For what? That was the most awesome night I've ever had!" He said happily and hoped to the bed and sat beside her.

"Uh?"

"And you know why?" He continued. "I had found out that the forest had more than seven types of white dragons. They all followed me back. I even caught myself two phoenixes."

Melynlas was still shocked at the man's sudden change of behavior that she could not even get herself to speak. Scared, yes, but she was glad that she was not alone. She was also glad that all the commotion was over… had it? She forced herself up again and this time, she managed. She walked to the window and stared out. The sun. How she missed its ray and heat. The light it produced. But, unfortunately… 

Melynlas sighed. She studied the scenery around her. There was nothing much to see except torn down buildings. Had the fight really caused such mess?

"They do not remember," Kougaiji said from behind her. He draped himself on the windowsill. "I used a spell so that they will not remember even a piece of those moments. The only thing they have in mind was earthquake. A severe one. Only we know what had happen."

"Kougaiji-san…" 

"Em?"

Melynlas pulled herself away from the light and drew the bale blue curtains down. "That red flames I saw…" She paused for a while, and continued. "The flames, did it belong to you?"

Kougaiji scratched his head and laughed. "Oh, that. That was my bird. Beautiful wasn't she?"

The girl nodded her head slowly, but her eyes stayed glued to the ground. Vivid memories of what happened that night could be the worst or the best for her. She had lose her brother, but won herself friends. Lose her only relative, but found a new chance to start her life over again. Then, what was bothering her? 

Kougaiji walked up to her. It was hard for him to figure out how to cheer up a lady. Apparently, even his sister was a tough person and did not need cheering up. "It isn't that bad," He said at last.

"What isn't?" She asked. Her voice barely left her throat.

"…You know, all the commotion during the past few days," He said, making his statement a little clear.

Melynlas flashed a fake smile. "There's something I would like to ask."

"Anything, if it would make you happy."

The girl swallowed hard. "Where did you put my brother?"

"Excuse me?" Kougaiji asked, a little surprised.

She turned around. "I sense something. Is he here?"

"You're brother? Well… he…"

"Yes?" Melynlas stepped closer to him. "Tell me!" She asked eagerly.

Suddenly, the door barged open and Goku and Lirin dashed in. Both of them were holding what seemed like pieces of brown papers in their hand. Lirin searched the room for her brother.

"Nii-chan!" She shouted happily and ran up to him. "Ne, nii-chan! Why didn't you tell me that you came?"

Instead of answering her, he handed to her a large warm pork bun. "You artillery teacher said you were busy, so I didn't bother search for you."

Goku eyed the bun in Lirin's hand.

"Don't do that!" Lirin said sharply.

"Do what?"

"Stare at my food."

"Oh," Goku said sadly. 

"Really," Kougaiji said, pulling Goku's collar and handed him another bun. "You two act like a child. Sometimes I have doubt in your age."

Goku took the bun and gobbled it up in seconds. "I'm still hungry!"

"Shut up," Lirin said joyfully. Then, she grabbed herself a chair and stood on it. "Na, brother, do you have anything on next Friday?"

Kougaiji shook his head. "Nothing that I could think of. Why?"

"Good, because, next Friday is GRADUATION DAY!" Lirin announced loudly. 

"Huh? Really? That fast?" 

"Yup, and…"

"We have got the part for the play this Friday!" interrupted a voice from behind her.

Jezebel stood in the doorway.

With a shout of amazement, Melynlas ran forward and clasped her hand. She was as surprised as the visitor, who had just entered. 

"Princess!" Jezebel said, with a sincere smile. "It has been a while."

Soon, the day came.

The day they were all waiting for.

Graduation Day.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take you seats now!" The booming voice from the speaker immediately shattered the long silence of the large auditorium. Apparently and amazingly, this was the only untouched part of the building during the fight. In less than a minute, the seats were slowly filling up. Sanzo pushed himself among the other teachers and parents as he made his way to the first few front seats, where Hakkai and the rest sat. 

Normally, he couldn't be bothered with activities like this, but somehow, today was something. Something he wouldn't miss it for the world. But, he was careful not to let people see through him and know his feelings. Besides, he was supposed to be a loner. 

"Popcorn?" Hakkai offered as the monk took his seat.

Reluctantly, Sanzo dipped his hand into the green paper bag and grabbed a handful of orange flavored popcorns. He snatched the program sheets from an old woman in front of him.

"Hey! Get you own paper!" The woman grumbled.

Sanzo ignored her and read the programs aloud. "Speech, speech, speech, speech," After the fifteenth time he repeated the word speech, he paused and took a deep breath and then continued on. "Speech, speech and last but not least, certificate, the drama and more speeches," At that, he rolled and crumpled the papers and threw it back to the woman. "Thank you, old hag!" He said sarcastically.

Hakkai, noticing his friend's weird behavior smiled. "Want some coke?"

The monk stared at him for a while. 

"Coke?"

Sanzo took it from his hand and chewed on the straw.

"Gee, you are really nervous, aren't you," Hakkai asked, thinking of starting a slow and steady conversation with his sort of, troubled friend.

Sanzo, as expected, denied. "Me? Nervous? Please! Why would I be nervous? This is just a normal looking day where everyone is supposed to be happy and rejoice that they the students had made it throughout the entire year alive and kicking without seizing to breath and even feeling glad that they finally get a chance to leave school and forget that we ever exist." 

Hakkai froze. Apparently, none of what he said made sense. "Sanzo…" Hakkai pleaded softly.

Sanzo continued on, apparently ignoring every one around him,"People theses days are so ignorant and full of pride that they wouldn't even except their differences even though if they fight and they know the ending would not always turn out the way they would which will cause more problem and less good to themselves and other people around them which indeed…" 

"Sanzo…"

Sanzo was still talking.

"Sanzo!" Hakkai shouted at last. At once the large room became silence. The monk stopped talking instantly.

"What?" Sanzo asked, after a moment of silence.

The green-eyed man slapped his forehead. "You are talking too fast. There wasn't even a single full stop, nor a comma in your sentences. Are you sure you're okay? Because, if I didn't stop you, I could really be sure that you could die of suffocation."

Sanzo blushed. "…No." He fell back into the chair and shrieked. Once again, the almost noisy hall became silent. The monk jumped up and stared angrily at the seats behind him.

"What? What did I do?" Gojyo asked surprised.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The monk said furiously as he stared at the red haired demon behind him.

"Huh? Did I say something wrong?" Gojyo wondered aloud. After a while, them he came to realize that it really wasn't what he had said but what he was wearing. Gojyo took of the black hood and the grim reaper mask, which he had on. "How's this?"

"Damn it erro kappa! Why do you have on such weird costume? Do you think that this is a Halloween Party?" Sanzo shrieked.

Gojyo fell back and laughed. "Geez, you're spooked at this stuff? What kind of monk are you? And, for your information, these stuffs don't belong to me. Their David's." 

"Where's that kid?"

Gojyo gave him a long grin and pointed towards the stage.

Hakkai shook his head and pulled Sanzo down. He then motioned them to keep it low as the ceremony was about to begin.

Striked ten in the morning, the school's bell rang.

It seemed like there's been a change of plan. Apparently, the intros were all pushed aside. As the spotlight focused on the stage, every one turned their attentions towards a tall black figure at the center of the delicate settings.

__

End of chapter…

One question. Does anyone know anything about the genome project? 


End file.
